


Into the Jungle

by Kavella



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-02
Updated: 2017-01-23
Packaged: 2018-04-02 12:55:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 23,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4060819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kavella/pseuds/Kavella
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When an Imperial factory is being built on a jungle planet, the crew has to go and shut it down before the new TIES can terrorize the galaxy. But when things go wrong and and an unknown beast starts hunting down the two Jedi, the plan falls apart. Lost in unfamiliar territory, the objective is no longer to fight the Empire, but to survive.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hungry

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I hope you enjoy the first chapter of this fic!

Ezra did not know the plan.

He knew they were going to destroy an Imperial factory, and that it involved the air ducts; but that was obvious. The crew had always taken advantage of his short, thin frame to complete their missions. Ezra did not mind it; it felt comforting to know that he was needed. To say the least, it had been a while since he had felt that way.

But as the Phantom lowered down toward the planet, Kanan was making sure that everyone knew their role. And Ezra knew he was about to get busted.

"Ezra," Kanan said, bursting him out of his thoughts. "You know what to do?" In the cramped corroders of the Phantom, it was hard to hide his nervousness.

"Yeah," he lied. And just as he thought, Kanan saw right through him. Kanan narrowed his gaze, analyzing the smallest member of their team. Ezra cursed their bond under his breath. He did not actually mean it; their bond was what brought them together. But sometimes it could be annoying to have someone see right through you.

"You have no idea what your part is, do you?" Ezra, giving his signature sheepish grin and shrug, heard Kanan groan. He rubbed his hand down the length of his face, lingering for a moment before lifting it up and speaking.

"Ezra, this mission is important! We can't risk it because of you lack of focus."

"Relax – we never end up following the plan anyway." Kanan sighed.

"Kid's got a point," Zeb said.

"It's not just that. You have to have focus to control your emotions and to become a Jedi. It's a basic skill that basically every kid learned much younger than you, Ezra. I just can't comprehend on why you can't seem to grasp it."

Ezra looked defiantly into Kanan's sea green eyes, before turning his head away harshly. He scowled, biting the inside of his cheek. The crew could taste the tension in the air; it was not normal for Ezra to sulk away. He would usually put up a fight until Kanan gave in, deeming the issue hopeless for the time being. Ezra's reaction implied that, for once, he did not want to talk about it.

The Phantom rattled as it entered the planet's atmosphere. Hera kept a steady hand on the handles, flipping switches and adjusting nobs in order to keep them from crashing.

"You'll have exactly one rotation before I come and pick you back up. Any longer than that, and we'd be taking a huge risk," Hera said, ending the stifling silence that had washed over the crew.

"One rotation at these coordinates exactly. Got it," Kanan summarized. Ezra glanced at the coordinates on the screen and hoped that someone else knew them; he had no idea what any of the numbers meant.

"Good luck," Hera shouted over the rushing wind that came with the opening of the door. Ezra's long hair blew away from his face, allowing him to view the planet below. To his amazement, it was nothing like the grassy fields of Lothal. The planet seemed to be covered in green; the trees spreading out all across the world. Ezra awed at the Jungle planet, the damp air feeling refreshing as he breathed in.

He rushed forward, eager to jump out of the small Phantom and to explore the new planet. But before he jumped, he felt a hand grab the back of his collar. Yanked back into the Phantom, he stumbled back, tripping over his own feet. He landed on the floor, looking up at a furious Kanan. Sabine and Zeb were no longer in the ship, having already jumped out.

"Ezra!" Kanan shouted, but quickly gave it up. Hera was leaving the drop zone, and they had to get out quickly. Giving one last menacing glare at his padawan, Kanan picked Ezra up by his forearm. They turned and sprinted out of the Phantom, the floor quickly disappearing underneath them. Ezra felt the rush of adrenaline coursing through his body. If it was not for Kanan's grip on him, he would have surely spun out of control. This was only the second time he had jumped willingly from unimaginable heights (There had been a few times that he had fallen, and that was far less fun than jumping).

The trees approached quickly, despite the two Jedi being far from the jungle ground. Everything became a blur of green; and before he knew it Kanan's grip was removed. Ezra blinked, and the next thing he knew he was tumbling along the soft ground. The world whirled around him as he skidded to a stop. He opened his eyes, his vision spinning, trying to right itself. Shaking off the dizziness, he looked over to Kanan, who had landed perfectly in a crouch.

Ezra picked himself up, rubbing the spot where his back had rolled over a rock. As he looked around at their surroundings, the pain faded away and was replaced with astonishment.

The trees looked as if they were miles high, spreading their branches as if to touch the clouds. His eyes trailed down the bark until he was looking back at eye level. They had landed in a small cove, with soft green moss covering the ground. Around them an array of diverse plants grew. It was like nothing Ezra had ever seen before. There were so many different plant types, each slightly different from the other, all living together in the rich soil. The shrubs closed them off, leaving Ezra and Kanan secluded. The trees above almost blocked out the sun, but a few gaps allowed the light to illuminate the ground.

"Come on. We got a late start, and we need to catch up." Kanan's voice snapped Ezra out of his thoughts. The angry tone in his voice was still present, and Ezra knew that when they completed the mission he was going to get a lecture. He was not looking forward to it.

Kanan ran through the brush, and Ezra had to sprint to catch up. The last thing he wanted was to get left behind; that would only feed Kanan's frustration. He followed Kanan to the best of his ability as branches and vines whacked him in the face. Kanan would push them out of his way, but they would snap back before Ezra had a chance to react. He could not tell if Kanan was doing it on purpose or not.

Suddenly, Kanan stopped without warning. Ezra collided into his back, stumbling back in surprise.

"Hey!" he shouted, fed up with Kanan's actions.

"Shh!"

"What?"

"Shh!" Kanan repeated, growing impatient. "Do you feel that?" Ezra was confused, but he then recognized the warnings the force was giving him. He had unconsciously blocked them out in his frustration. It sent a chill up his spine. He felt a presence brush against his own, and it was not Kanan's. It felt cold and bloodthirsty, and Ezra had to resist the urge to let it consume him. It retracted, but not after its thoughts was injected into Ezra's mind.

"Ezra, are you alright?" Ezra had gone pale, his body slightly shivering in the heat. Kanan had felt the presence, but it did not linger long enough for him to pinpoint its source. He now looked at his padawan in worry as he shivered.

Ezra swallowed, his throat dry, before speaking.

"It's hungry."


	2. Alive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Have you guys seen the trailer for Siege of Lothal? It's insane! I'm freaking out! This chapter was supposed to come out yesterday, but I was having trouble writing this one part. Sorry about that. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter!

* * *

 "Kanan, slow down!" Ezra cried from behind him. Despite Ezra's requests, Kanan continued on. His anxiety over what had just happened made him take longer strides. Kanan had his suspicions, but he did not believe them to be true. Or maybe he did not want them to be true.

"Kanan, talk to me!" Ezra questioned again, grabbing on to Kanan's arm. He stopped, turning back to face the young Lothal child. "I know you know something. Why won't you just tell me?"

"It's for your own safety, Ezra," Kanan began. "I don't want it to distract you from the task at hand."

"So I can't handle knowing what exactly is trying to eat us?"

"No, it's not that," Kanan tried to explain, but he could quickly feel the situation slipping out of control.

"Then what is it?"

"Well, it's because…"

"Do you not trust me?"

"No, I trust you, Ezra. It's just that-"

"Just what?"

"It's for your own protection!" Kanan busted out a little louder than he intended. In a calmer voice, he repeated himself. "It's for your own protection." Ezra looked at him in defiance, hiding a hint of sadness. He turned away, avoiding his eye contact.

"Ezra, what is it?" Kanan asked, knowing that there was something hiding behind his bright blue eyes.

"It's just that…" Ezra scoffed, and Kanan waited patiently for him to gather his thoughts. "That's what my parents would say, about their radio podcasts." Ezra looked up at Kanan. "They kept me in the dark to protect me, but it only ended with them dead. And… and I don't want the same to happen to you."

The moments where Ezra opened up were rare, and Kanan knew he had to treat the situation with care. He walked over to his padawan, resting his hand on his shoulder.

"Ezra, I'm right here. And I'm not going anywhere." Ezra looked up at him, the defiance replaced by sadness. He nodded in response. "Then come on, we have to be there when Sabine's explosion goes off."

Kanan turned and began sprinting, leaving Ezra a brief moment left to his thoughts.

His parents had said the same thing.

Ezra took off after his teacher, the unnerving feeling in his stomach only growing.

* * *

 They made it to the Imperial factory, crouching down behind a leafy bush. Three guards stood on the perimeter, not paying too much attention to their surroundings.

They waited for Sabine and Zeb's distraction to start. Once it went off, Kanan and Ezra would take out the three soldiers and race into the building. Then, Ezra would set the explosives in the main control room.

Glancing at his padawan, Kanan felt the sting of regret. He had been a little harsh earlier, on the Phantom. He was just worried for his padawan's safety. He knew that Ezra had never been off of his home world, and this planet was far from the safety present on Lothal. On Lothal, the worst thing was the Empire.

Here, it was the unknown.

"Ezra…" Kanan said, planning on explaining his thoughts, or at least attempt to. He was not as talented as Hera, but he could try. His padawan's gaze met his own. But before Kanan could continue, Ezra's eyes widened in shock.

"Look out!" Kanan felt the push of Ezra, and he flew through the air. He landed a few feet away, rolling over on the loose dirt. He heard a blast from behind him, and Ezra's scream. It jolted him up, worry and adrenaline running through his veins. But blocking his view of Ezra was three pairs of legs, their white armor contrasting with the green surroundings. He looked up, black blasters pointed right at him.

He clenched his fists as a pair of hands hoisted him to his feet. His anger bubbled through him as a trooper stepped around him, pressing the muzzle against the middle of his spine.

One shot, and Kanan would be dead.

He glanced at the brush they had hidden behind mere seconds ago; it was smoking from the blast. Kanan looked up at the cannons on the roof, feeling angry at himself for not noticing them before.

Ezra hissed in pain, drawing Kanan's attention. He lied on his stomach with three troopers standing around him, their weapons locked and loaded. They hoisted him to his feet, and before he could gain his balance, pushed him out of the brush.

"Well, look who we have here." Kanan was lead into the clearing of the factory. Kallus stood before them, a smug grin on his face. Out of worry, Kanan glanced back at his padawan. He was in the same position he was, surrounded by three Stormtroopers with their guns aimed right at their backs. Ezra's left arm hung limp at his side, his right hand clutching his forearm. Kanan realized that his wrist was either fractured or broken; he could already see it beginning to swell. A few other scratches scattered his body.

"My, my. A Jedi and the orphan." Kallus spit his words at them, making Ezra flinch back. "And that's not all." Kanan and Ezra looked up to see Sabine and Zeb; both having guns pointed right at their backs.

Needless to say, their mission had been a set up.

Kallus walked up to Kanan, ripping his gun from its holster and his lightsaber. He handed it to a trooper and moved on to Ezra. He took his lightsaber from him, handing it to the same trooper. But before Kallus walked away, a smirk rose to the surface. He grabbed Ezra's left wrist, twisting it up to his view.

"That doesn't look too good, orphan." Ezra flinched in pain, letting out a slight gasp of pain, but stopping himself from getting too loud. He looked pale, his body shaking.

"Leave him alone." Kanan looked to Zeb, who had beaten him to the chase. Kallus dropped his arm, and Ezra looked as if he would pass out. Walking over to the Lasat, his face sneered with anger.

"Don't worry; I have strict instructions not to kill the boy. But you three, on the other hand, have clear instructions to be disposed of. And nothing would make me happier."

A shiver ran through Kanan. What did Kallus mean by not killing Ezra? Kanan knew that Ezra was powerful in the force, but he did not have the tools to take a midi-chlorian count. Kanan pushed the thought out of his mind, but reminded himself to figure it out later.

Kanan made eye contact with Sabine, whose brown eyes were staring intently on him. They flickered to the right, towards the factory. Meeting her gaze again, Kanan realized what was going on.

Sabine had already set the explosives.

"You three – take the child to the integration room," Kallus ordered. The cold barrel pressed harder into Kanan's back. Kanan's eyes flashed to his frightened padawan as a trooper shoved him forward.

Looking back at Sabine, she blinked twice and dug her boot into the dirt.

Deciphering her code, Kanan realized that her 'miracles' was about to go off. And a miracle was just what they needed to get out of the situation they were in.

A flash blinded them as the ground shook. Kanan sprang into action, whipping around and knocking the gun away from his back. It fell to the ground, leaving the trooper exposed. A strong punch to the stomach set the trooper off balance, allowing Kanan to punch the trooper in his helmet. He fell to the ground, unmoving.

The two other troopers that guarded him raised their own weapons. They fired, the red shots whizzing by the illusive Jedi. Kanan flinched out of the way as if it was second nature to him. He smiled, remembering his padawan training long ago. He pushed the happy memories aside, knowing that pain would replace them

Kanan turned to his padawan, who had fallen during the explosion. He lied on the dirt, still clutching his left forearm in pain. A trooper reached down and lifted him by his collar, sending Kanan running towards his padawan. He struggled in his grasp, attempting to fight with only one hand.

Kanan reached Ezra, and using the force, pulled the trooper's gun away from him. He shot, and the trooper crumbled to the floor. Ezra managed to catch himself on his feet, but he still stumbled. Kanan ran to his padawan, shooting at the other troopers.

"Come on!" Kanan shouted over the battle. He ran towards the jungle, trying to provide his team cover. Sabine caught up to him and tossed him his lightsaber, haven taken it back during the fight. Kanan glanced back to see Zeb following, with Ezra a little further back; struggling to keep up. Behind them, cannons fired at them and troopers were sprinting on foot. The sound of TIE's taking off filled the air, and they knew they were out of time.

"There's too many of them!" Sabine shouted, having seen the Empire that was on their trail.

"Split up! It'll be harder to chase us down!" Kanan looked at Zeb, who nodded in response. He adjusted his path to the right, choosing to cut across the clearing and go back the way they came. Sabine veered to the left, running at top speed, dodging bullets.

"Kid! Stick with me!" Kanan shouted, looking back at the wide-eyed Ezra whose shorter legs carried him a bit slower than Kanan's. He was biting his lip so hard he was drawing blood. Whether his lip biting was because of fear or pain Kanan did not know.

They were close to disappearing into the jungle. They just needed to make it a little longer. Kanan ran into the brush, the shadows of the tall trees shading him. He whipped around to make sure if Ezra had made it.

A blast echoed through the woods, hitting a tree on the edge of the clearing. It began falling, landing right in Ezra's path. He slid to a stop, wild blue eyes looking at his own. Ezra whipped around and threw himself to the ground as another blast headed right towards him. Kanan dodged out of the way, rolling through the thick brush. It hit the dirt right where he was standing merely seconds ago, throwing him to the side.

Kanan quickly scrambled to his feet, eyes searching for his padawan.

"Ezra!" he screamed, but he was nowhere in sight.

"Get the Jedi!" Kanan twisted his vision to the Stormtroopers that were pouring into the jungle thicket. He had no other choice.

Kanan ran away, not knowing where his padawan was or if he was even alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R & R  
> ~ Kavella ~


	3. Problems

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I hope you like this chapter!

* * *

 Sabine ran.

Blaster shots exploded the ground beneath her feet, but Sabine was one step ahead. She raced towards the cover the jungle would provide her, turning around every now and then to blast a few bucket heads along the way. Her guns felt right in her hands, and after having them taken away, Sabine was glad she had gotten them back. Her guns were a part of her, and without them, she felt bare.

Jumping over a low hanging branch, Sabine raced into the cover the trees provided. Now it was harder to run; the branches and rocks making a clear path near to impossible, but she continued on. It would be harder for the troopers to catch her if they did not see her. And despite her colorful armor, Sabine was trained in the art of disappearing. It had helped her before, and it would help her again.

Brushing away the memories of her past, Sabine continued sprinting. Aggravated that she was unable to grab her helmet, Sabine curved to the left, not knowing if it was safe or not.

Sabine raced through the thicket of vines and low hanging branches, looking for something to take cover behind. A large boulder stood to the left of her, its grey color a beacon in the lush green forest. Sabine angled her direction towards the boulder, diving behind it. She slid on the exposed mud, the slick texture gliding her along. She stopped herself, grabbing onto the bounder and pulling herself up. Her arms stretched across the rough surface, and she raised her guns.

The Stormtroopers gave chase, and once seeing the orange tints in her hair, began firing. Sabine fired back, shooting the troopers dead on while they only missed.

Sabine pushed away from the boulder, holstering her guns. The Stormtroopers were still smoking from where her lasers had hit them.

"This way!" a distant voice shouted. Sabine took off in the opposite direction, hoping to avoid the second wave of troopers. She was able to fend for herself, but she was not sure the odds would be on her side if the troopers outnumbered her one to ten.

* * *

 Sabine ran, the brush streaming past her in a swirl of green, her legs pounding on the ground. Her holsters smacked into her thighs as her bangs swished back and forth. She jogged at a steady pace; thankful she had lost the troopers a ways back, but that did not mean she was safe. The Empire had much better equipment than she did, and the planet was crawling with beasts.

A wave of doubt washed over Sabine. She had not had the chance to tell Kanan of the dangers of the planet, but then again, she did not think they were going to be staying long. Now ,separated and alone, the Empire was hunting them. Sabine brushed away the doubt. Kanan would watch out for Ezra, and Zeb was capable of taking care of himself. And as long as she had her blasters, she would be able to survive as well.

Sabine slowed down, coming to a halt in a small patch of tall grass. She held her left forearm up, looking at the small white screen. She pulled up her coordinates, and after glancing at the long list of numbers, headed towards the pickup zone. She was quite a ways away, but if she continued jogging at this pace, she should get there by the scheduled time.

Her armor kept her body cool, but without her helmet, sweat drenched her face. She wiped her forehead with the back of her palm, regretting the fact that she had not brought food or water.

The sound of a twig snapping made Sabine shoot down into a crouch. She scanned around, looking for the source. She could faintly hear the sound of voices from up ahead. Curious, she walked towards the noises, still in a crouch.

Peering over the leaves of plants, she saw Kallus. He walked along the path, a trail of troopers following him. The trooper closest to Kallus pressed his hand to his helmet, receiving a message. He then spoke up.

"Agent Kallus, there's been a disturbance inside the factory."

"What?" Kallus barked back.

"Squadron six is the closest. Should we send reinforcements?" The trooper handed Kallus a data pad, and he examined it.

"Send squadron two to deal with the intruder, and send squadron six north. The rebels are more important than salvaging the factory." It was unlike the Empire to not care about their projects, especially when the projects could cause lots of damage. Sabine filed the thought away for later as the trooper relayed the commands to the others.

Kallus, instead of following the path, began walking to the left; right towards her hiding spot. Sabine crouched lower, trying to hide her tints of orange. But it would not take long for Kallus to spot her. She quickly looked left and right, but there was no cover for her to hide behind.

That left her with one option.

Sabine, knowing she would come to regret this, shot up from her hiding place. He guns already drawn, she fired and the shocked Kallus. He dove to the side, the shots of red absorbed by the two troopers behind him.

Kallus shot up, enraged by her surprise. "Shoot her!" he cried, as Sabine continued to pull the trigger. She dodged the trooper's fire with ease, aware that Kallus had ignited his bo-staff.

She felt a sharp pain in her side, the momentum of the shot knocking her off balance. She let out a scream, unable to hold back the burning. She opened her eyes, feeling the wetness seeping through her clothes and hair. Both of her hands clenched her side, now warm and sticky as she attempted to keep herself from losing too much blood. She was defenseless.

Her eyes widened as Kallus stepped into view, holding his bo-rifle in his right hand, wearing an evil grin.

"Well, well. You weren't the particular rebel I was looking for, but you'll do nonetheless." Kallus raised the bo-rifle over his head, and Sabine saw the wild look in his eyes. She did not want that to be the last thing she saw before she died.

Sabine closed her eyes, waiting for the final blow. Her life did not flash before her eyes, but one thought ran through her mind. Her final thought.

I never thanked them.

"Oi!" a voice shouted, and Sabine's eyes shot open, ignoring her thoughts. She had no doubt that had come from Zeb, and when she turned her head, there he stood. Kallus ignited his bo-rifle, his eyes shooting daggers at Kallus. Kallus lowered his rifle, smiling obscenely as Zeb spoke again. "Stay away from her."

"Ah, the Lasat." Kallus spit his words at Zeb, who did not even flinch. "Have you come to join your friend?" he taunted. Zeb only growled in response. They charged at each other, the tips of their electric rifles clashing.

Sabine let a moan escape her lips. She turned her head to the right, still afraid to look at her wound. Her eyesight was level with the mud, and as she glanced over it, a flash of blue caught her eye. There, only a few meters away, her gun stuck out of the mud. Sabine rolled herself over, her left hand still clutching her right side. She bit her lip, resisting the urge to slip into the darkness that was threatening her mind. With one hand on the ground and another on her wound, she crawled.

She could hear the sparks of Zeb and Kallus's fight. She did not have much time before the troopers remembered her presence. Sabine reached out and grabbed her blaster, the weight of it reassuring her. Ignoring the pain, she stood up, and fired. The trooper who stood in her blaster's way went down, unmoving. The noise surprised the other troopers, who turned and fired back.

Sabine was outnumbered. She was injured, had only one gun, and was having a hard time focusing. She ran as fast as her injury would allow, ducking for cover behind a tree. She glanced around, watching Zeb and Kallus locked in combat. Zeb saw her gaze, and with a shove pushed Kallus away.

"Sabine, run!" Kallus came back, and Zeb looked away from her teary eyes. Sabine pulled back to the tree's cover, weighing her options. She closed her eyes, knowing that the choice she was making was the best option for her survival. But it was not her preferred option.

Yet again, Sabine found herself running away from her problems.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R & R  
> ~ Kavella ~


	4. Remains

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I hope you like this chapter!

Zeb watched as Sabine, holding on to her side, ran away. His attention was drawn back to the ISB agent as he swung his yellow tipped staff towards him. Blocking it, he saw out of the corner of his vision troopers racing after an injured Sabine. Zeb was unable to see how badly she was hurt, but from the amount of blood smeared over her clothes, he assumed the worse.

The two electric tips sparked with each blow, the noise ringing in Zeb's ears. Kallus continued on the offensive, swinging his stolen bo-rifle left and right. The noise of blaster shots faded into the background. Zeb only hoped that Sabine had found a way to escape, but he could not worry about it for too long. He needed to figure a way out of the situation he was in.

"Foolish Lasat. Your species fell because of my hand and so will you," Kallus seared at him. He struck what would have been a fatal if it was not for Zeb's quick reflexes. His anger rose, and with it so did his energy. Zeb swung at Kallus with strength he did not know he had. He forced Kallus back, swinging his bo-rifle this way and that, not allowing him to gain the upper hand.

Zeb swung again, and in a stroke of luck, the tip of his staff jabbed into Kallus's left side. He shrieked in agony, his body jerking from the electricity. He fell to the jungle ground, the mud splashing on Zeb's exposed legs.

A blaster shot whizzed by his ear, barely avoiding Zeb's skull. Retracting his electric staff back into a rifle, he fired upon the remaining troopers that had not fled after Sabine. With no cover, the shots were driving him back into the brush. He needed to turn and flee, but a flash caught his attention.

There, laying the mud beside Kallus was the data pad.

It was risky, but the data pad would have the planet mapped out. It would make it much easier for him to navigate the dense foliage.

Zeb turned to face the storm of fire coming from the troopers, and acting quickly, he ran towards Kallus. Zeb swooped down, grabbing the data pad without stopping. He heard a moan from Kallus, but he did not stick along to see if he had awoken.

Zeb dove into the brush as the blaster shots continued to fire at him. He sprinted, trying to get as far away as possible. But Zeb knew he could not outrun them forever; he did not have enough stamina.

A root tugged on his ankle, sending him falling face-first onto the ground.

"Karabast!" he swore, untangling the root from its hold on his ankle.

"This way!" a voice shouted. Zeb pushed himself up, looking around for a clear path to run through. And that was when he had an idea.

He took a step towards the tree where the root had sprung from, examining it. After locating the lowest branch, Zeb reached up and grabbed onto it. He hoisted himself up, and grabbing onto the nearest branch, began to climb.

The bark felt rough against his claws, but the rush of adrenaline that was shooting through his veins empowered him. When he looked down, he saw the top of the trooper's helmets as they ran by. He estimated that he was at least three or four stories off the ground.

Zeb pulled himself close to the center of the tree, his feet dangling in the air. Catching his breath, he took a look at the data pad.

A square screen showed landmarks like a river and the factory, along with a few others Zeb did not recognize. Running along the bottom, it displayed the coordinates of his location. Looking at the map, a bright red dot shone.

This confused Zeb. What could the Empire be marking? It would not be the factory, which was in the center of the largest clearing on the map. But then, what was it?

Zeb stood up, maneuvering his feet so he would not fall off of the branch. Examining the data pad once more, he turned himself around. It was on the way to the pickup point, and it would not take him that long to get to.

Even though he would never admit it, Zeb was worrying about his teammates.

Zeb, after attaching the data pad to his belt, grabbed onto a branch above his head and began shifting his momentum back and forth. Once gaining enough speed, he let go. The feeling of flight made his stomach drop. Panic forced its way into his mind, but was soon disposed of when Zeb's claws grabbed onto another tree branch.

He swung once before letting go again, making his way towards the markers on the data pad.

* * *

 It took a long time for Zeb to reach the first marker. The blue sky was fading into a lighter shade with hints of pink. The temperature was dropping, Zeb noticed, as he shivered. He recalled that the nights were longer on the planet from their briefing.

Zeb's feet touched solid ground, the wet mud now dry. The rub of the bark against his hands blistered them. He had to stop many times because the burning sensation was too much for him to continue.

He walked closer to the first blinking red dot, not knowing if he would like what he saw.

Zeb jumped into a small rivet in the ground, but as he looked closer, he noticed it was not natural. He turned and began following it, examining the tree branches that hung broken from the tree trunks. Walking over a small hill, he found what the red dot was marking.

It was the remains of the Phantom.

Zeb gaped in horror at the wreckage. It split into two separate pieces, the front and the back. The crash obliterated the back side; only scrap metal and seats that scattered around remained. But the front of it was better off, if that.

The glass was gone from the window, the shards scattered all over. Zeb attempted to avoid any reflection of light that he spotted from the ground. The crash ripped the blasters off, having landed a few meters away.

"Hera?" he asked, hoping to get a response but fearing that he would not.

Zeb peered into the only intact part of the Phantom, where the pilot sat. There were wires hanging everywhere, sparking. The controls were destroyed, and as Zeb looked closer, blue-tinted blood* splattered the inside. He glanced down, picking up a metal blaster and recognizing it was Hera's.

This was bad. With the amount of blood he saw, Hera was injured. And without the Phantom, there would be no easy escape.

The only thing that comforted him was that there was no body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R & R  
> ~ Kavella ~


	5. Empty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I hope you like this chapter!

Kanan pressed his back against the tree, his breath fast and shallow. His throat burned as he swallowed. He was fast enough to outrun the troopers, thanks to the help of the force, and had circled back around to the factory. His eyes darted around, looking for his missing padawan who was no longer there. Kanan should have been happy that Ezra had been able to escape, but he was not. Now there was no way of knowing where he was.

Kanan turned his body back around the tree, pressing himself as close as possible as the sound of a TIE fighter roared past him.

He should get away from this place as fast as possible, but something was stopping him. A nagging thought intruded in his mind. How did they know?

There had to be someone who leaked the information. Had it been someone on their team? Kanan threw out the idea. He trusted them with his life; they would never have sold them out. Fulcrum would not have either, but he was unfamiliar to the people in her ranks. It must have been someone in Ahsoka's ranks. Someone like…a clone.

Kanan clenched his fists. One of them had to be responsible for leaking information. They had betrayed them, just like they had before.

He needed proof, or everyone would think he was just pointing fingers, still caught up in the past. Kanan peered around the tree, keeping his feet in place. And where else would he find proof other than the factory?

He needed a way to sneak around the two cannons that were on the roof. He needed a plan. Normally, it was Hera who came up with the mission plans. Hers were well thought out and carefully planned. Kanan's…not so much.

Kanan stepped out into the clearing, the sun radiating down on his neck. Calling upon the force, the familiar feeling washed over him. He crouched, gathering his strength, and jumped.

His pony tail whipped against his head as he soared through the sky. A moment of freedom eased Kanan's nerves. He looked down at the forest, a sea of green. In spots there were openings, and far beyond was a large gap with a river running between.

The moment passed as the planet's gravity began to take effect. He positioned himself, ready for the impact of the roof. He landed poised and pulled his lightsaber from his belt. The blue blade ignited, making the two operators aware of his presence. The whirling noise filled the air as the cannons turned to face the intruder.

Kanan sprinted to the closest one, jumping over the weapon as his lightsaber sliced the side. The control panel began sparking, having been cut off from the weapon.

The second had locked on to his position. Kanan crouched down as the weapon roared to life. It fired, the blast bright green, and Kanan jumped. He narrowly avoided the blast as he felt the heat from under him. He landed on top of the cannon. His lightsaber cut through it with ease, and without a second to react, the operator was flung off the building.

Kanan jumped down from the now broken cannon, looking for an entry point. It surprised him that the roof was completely spotless. There was no wear or damage at all.

Kanan flipped his lightsaber in his hand.

"Well," he said to himself. "If there's no entrance, I'll have to make my own." He stabbed his lightsaber into the roof, cutting out a small and uneven circle. The broken off piece fell inside, dropping with a loud crash. Kanan flinched. He hoped no one had heard that.

Deactivating his lightsaber, he dropped down into the factory. Kanan knew it should be intact; Sabine had only set the distraction from the outside.

But when he looked up from his crouch, he was thrown off guard.

The factory was empty.

Pillars ran along both sides, supporting the roof. The windows were intact, the light shining through the panes. But the room was filled with debris. Rusting chains hung from the ceiling, spilling onto the puddles that littered the floor. In a pile in the far corner lied a stockpile of ammunition for their cannons.

He stepped carefully, avoiding the large beams of metal and shards of glass. It looked like the factory had not been used in years. That's when it struck Kanan. No one sold them out to the Empire.

It was a set up all along.

The Empire had spread the rumors of the factory, knowing that they would get wind of it and plan to attack it. They were after their crew from the moment they stepped foot on the planet.

In the center stood a small square room, the door closed and shining in the light. It was the only thing that looked new, minus the roof and windows. Kanan could sense that something was off. He made his way towards it, trying to suppress the nagging feeling that he was to blame for this.

He ignited his lightsaber, breaking the lock that held the door in place. He pushed it open, and as it creaked, what it revealed made Kanan's heart stop.

Hera's bright green eyes meet his.

A dirty cloth covered her mouth, her arms bound behind her back. She was on her knees, shouting at Kanan through the gag. He rushed over, removing the cloth from her mouth.

"Hera, are you alright? Who did this to you?" he asked, as he carefully ignited his lightsaber and turned his attention to the cuffs.

"Kanan, I'm okay. Just a little rattled." The cuffs clattered to the ground, and Hera pulled her hands forward, rubbing her sore wrists.

"Come on; let's get you out of here." Kanan wrapped his arm around Hera's midriff, helping her to her feet.

"Check the perimeter." The voice froze the two in their tracks.

"Kanan?" Hera asked. Kanan, after making sure Hera could stand, walked over to the door. A shadow passed by the window, and Kanan ducked back into the small room. He could recognize that shadow anywhere.

The Stormtroopers were here.

"Hera, we need to move," Kanan said, glancing back out the doorway. Once the troopers were done examining the outside, they would surely move inside. And inside, there was nowhere to hide. Hera gasped in pain, drawing Kanan's attention back to her. She fell on her palms, her body trembling in pain.

"Hera!" he said, rushing to her side.

"I'm okay," she insisted, attempting to stand again. Kanan helped her up, inspecting her closer. She had cuts all over her body and a fair amount of dried blood on her side. But her worst injury was her left ankle. It was swollen to a dark green, and Hera was putting no weight on it.

"Hera, there's no way I'm letting you walk on that."

"I said I'm fine," Hera persisted. Hera tried to take a step, but as she put pressure on her ankle, the pain overwhelmed her. She fell into Kanan, whose reflexes allowed him to catch her in time. She looked up at him sheepishly. "Okay, maybe I'm not fine."

"Come on." Kanan brought her closer. He wrapped her arm around his neck, and together they hobbled out of the room. Looking towards the front entry, it began to open, the clattering echoing in the empty room. Kanan looked around the building, frantically trying to create a plan. And when his eyes glanced at the fuel tanks, it came to him.

As if reading his thoughts, Hera spoke. "Oh, no," she said.

"What, do you have a better plan?" he asked, grinning. Hera shook her head in disapproval, but Kanan could see her smile. They quickly rushed over to the pile of large cylinders full of explosives. He set Hera down on the floor, her back leaning against the wall. After giving her his gun, Kanan sat on his knees, reaching out to the force that surrounded them.

As he lifted his hand, and one cylinder of ammunition lifted. Hera looked in awe as the troopers opened the door.

"What the-" Kanan pushed one cylinder their way. Hera shot, the explosion pushing the first wave of troopers back.

"Kanan!" Hera shouted, and he realized that they were coming in from the back. He shot a cylinder at the troopers, and Hera took the shot. The noise rung in their ears as the second wave came in. He sent two cylinders towards the front entrance, and it only took Hera one shot to dispose of them. But in doing so, they left their backs exposed.

"Freeze!" Kanan stretched his senses, realizing that the troopers were too close for comfort. One slipped from his senses, and he knew it was Hera's doing. Warning bells exploded into his mind as Kanan lifted another canister.

He pushed it at the troopers, but before Hera could take the shot, the troopers did it for her. It exploded in front of her, and Kanan could feel her pain.

"Hera!" he shouted, shooting up and towards her. The troopers were thrown back, but the blast was too close for comfort. He slid down next to her, relieved to find she was still alive.

"Kanan, behind you!" Kanan whipped around to see the troopers closing in. Their blaster shots rained down upon them.

"Come on, it's time to go!" he shouted, his voice lost in the sea of noise. He scooped Hera into his arms and ran, the warning from the force still ringing through his mind. But before he could take three steps, one of the blaster shots went astray, hitting the pile of ammunition. It started a chain reaction.

Kanan kept running, feeling the heat on his back and the explosion ringing through his ears. Everything smelled like smoke, and he did his best not to breathe in too much.

The only thing that kept him going was Hera's arms that clung around his neck, the beat of her heart against his own chest. No matter what happened to him, he would get her out of here.

But there was no time. There was only one way out, and the only way Hera was going to make it was if he made it. Kanan, reaching out for the force one last time, jumped.

The window shattered around him as he held Hera close. The heat nipped at them both, and as they fell to the ground, the cool jungle air whipped at them.

Kanan hit the ground, the momentum making them tumbled further away. Hera broke from Kanan's grasp, coming to a stop a little further than Kanan. He rolled over, quickly using his body to protect hers. The building collapsed, debris littering the ground as smoke filled the air.

"Hera?" he asked, moving to her side. "Are you alright?" She pushed herself up, carefully trying not to move her swollen ankle.

"I'll live." Kanan rested his hand on her back.

"Good, because we have to get out of here before more troopers show up." He hooked his arm around her shoulder and under her knees. He stumbled at first, adjusting to the added weight.

Kanan carried her away from the building as the smoke continued to grow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 6 will be up tomorrow!  
>  ~ Kavella ~


	6. Worried

Ezra was not a fast runner. On Lothal, he was able to get away from the Empire by using his surroundings to his advantage; disappearing down alleyways, hiding in sewers and vents. But on this planet, there was nothing like that. He was in new and unfamiliar territory.

So as blaster shots whizzed by him and low hanging tree branches snapped at his face, Ezra grew more and more frantic. With each step he took, he was heading away from his friends, away from safety.

Ezra ran with his right hand gripping his left arm. The pain from the blast still coursed through him, and he had no doubt that his impact with the ground sprained it. He swung his arms as he ran, and each time the pain worsened. He held his left arm closer to his chest, trying to prevent the burn but only failing.

He knew what he had done was reckless, but he stuck by his decision. If he had not force pushed Kanan out of the way…

Ezra shook off the thought. Kanan was alive; at least, he hoped so. He knew that his teacher was going to give him a lengthy speech on how stupid he was acting, but Ezra did not mind. He usually tuned him out anyway.

He skidded to a halt, arms flailing and in pain as they tried to stop the momentum. He had broken through the brush and now stood on the edge of a cliff. He peered over, careful not to lose his balance. Far below him the rushing river coursed by. It splashed at the base of the cliff, the rapid water headed downstream. Giant rocks poked out, parting the white water as it hurried by.

He heard shouts from behind him. Whipping around, five troopers emerged from the dense jungle and onto the cliff. Ezra backed up as far as he could.

"Freeze!" But Ezra was already frozen. He knew he had two options, and neither of them looked promising. A trooper took a step closer, his gun still pointed at Ezra.

He looked back down at the roaring river. It was just water. Really, really fast water.

"Don't do anything stupid, rebel. The Empire needs you alive." The trooper took another step forward, reaching out his hand. One more step and his hand would be on Ezra, pulling him into a cell.

But Ezra had made up his mind.

"Well, if the Empire wants me alive," Ezra said, looking at his reflection in the trooper's helmet. Despite his fear, he forced his voice to be unwavering. "Then I'd rather be dead."

And with that, he stepped off.

The wind whipped at his back as his loose hair blocked his view. His stomach turned as the feeling of weightlessness washed over him. He waited for his fate. After all the years of surviving on his own, he never thought he would die by drowning.

His back slammed into the ice cold water, engulfing him. The force knocked the wind out of him, and as he tried to breathe, only water flooded in. He struggled, his legs and arms flailing as he tried to gain a sense of direction. But some part of his mind told him it was no use. This was how he died, and for some strange reason Ezra let the idea consume him. He stopped struggling, he stopped fighting. He stopped breathing. Ezra closed his eyes.

He sunk to the bottom of the river, lost. It was better this way. He meant the words he had said to the troopers. He would rather die than be alive and in the clutches of the Empire. It would be his last way to stick it to the Empire. They wanted him alive? Well then, he would die. Then the Empire would not get what it wanted.

Kid! Stick with me!

Ezra recognized Kanan's voice, knowing that it was all in his head. But something in his words stuck in his memory. At the time, he knew it was a direct order. But there was emotion hiding inside of them. Something like… fear? No, Kanan was never afraid. Then it had to be…

Ezra's eyes snapped open, and his body kicked into motion.

He swam, or at least attempted to, to the surface. He saw the light breaking through the white foam. It shone at him, blinding him as it served as a beacon. He kicked with all his strength, reaching out with his arms.

He gasped for air, and it finally came. His lungs forced the water out, making room for the air that his body demanded. His throat burned as the air rushed in while the water rushed out. He kicked and fought to keep his head above the icy depths of water.

His ears popped as he was sucked back under. He held his breath, kicking to get another gulp of air. He broke through the surface, but it did not last long as another wave pushed him back down. His clothes weighed him down, resisting Ezra's attempts to stay above the surface. The speeding tide was not helping either.

He felt powerless as the flow of the water dragged him along. He could not stay underwater for much longer. His lungs burned, but he was not going to give up.

Kid! Stick with me!

Kanan's words rung through his mind again. Kanan was furious with him before, but that did not mean that he was going to leave him. He was worried about him. Worried. Kanan was never afraid of what would happen to himself, but he was afraid of what would happen to him.

Ezra felt warmer the longer he thought about it. It was strange, having someone care about him. It had been a long time since someone had been worried about him. It felt…comforting.

Ezra gasped for air, the river slowing its pace down. His limbs burned, as did his lungs and throat, but he could breath. Ezra needed to focus.

He glanced around, realizing he was far away from where he had jumped in. The cliff was no longer in sight, the ground having leveled off with the river. That presented another problem. Ezra was far away from the river bank on either side. There was no chance he would be able to swim; he was barely keeping afloat as it was.

Ezra winced in pain as he slammed into something. He slipped by it, but when he glimpsed over his shoulder, a large grey surface protruded from the river. He looked ahead, and seizing his chance, held out his right hand. He snagged onto the nearest rock, tucking his body behind it as the river pushed against him.

He locked his arms around it, hugging the slippery grey slab in the flowing river. He knew he would not be able to stay clinging to the rock, but he had to get a better of his surroundings.

His blue eyes darted around the wild landscape. The roaring water ruled out calling for help. He could try, but his voice would go unheard. Ezra cleared his mind, forcing himself to think. What would Kanan do?

Ezra closed his eyes, pulling himself closer to the rock as his legs wavered behind him. He closed his eyes, partly to shield them from the droplets of water and because he needed to focus. Kanan and the crew would be looking for him, or at least, he hoped he was. But he could not find him if he did not know where he was. He needed to leave a clue.

Ezra formed a plan. Bringing himself closer to the rock, he locked his arms around it, freeing his hands. He quickly began ripping the seam of his left sleeve, careful not to upset his injury more than he already had. It came off with ease, leaving Ezra's sleeve shorter and rugged. A small strand of orange cloth wavered in his hand, the wind from the rushing river attempting to blow it away. Before he could lose his grip, he wedged the strip in a crevice of the rock.

Once he was sure it was secure, Ezra hesitated for a moment. The piece of cloth would not move, but he was unsure if someone would even notice it. But it would have to do. He could not stay here forever; he was too exposed. With the Empire having much more resources, man power, and home field advantage; it was unlikely that his crew would find him before they did.

Taking a few more deep breaths, Ezra let go, surrendering to the crashing waves of the river.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ Kavella ~


	7. If

Sabine's eyes fluttered open. They did not need to adjust due to the lack of sunlight. She was on her back, staring up into a sky filled with stars. Sabine sucked in a deep breath, full of awe, when the pain shot through her body. She cringed as her memories came flooding back.

Sabine groaned as she forced herself up. Her body ached and protested, but she knew she had to keep moving. Her body shook as she stood up, forcing her to use a tree for support. Her energy was depleted, her breaths shallow and fast.

It was not a good sign.

Taking a look at her right side, the blood seemed to stop flooding out. But in her effort to stand, the wound had opened back up. She had already lost enough blood to pass out; she did not know how much more blood she could stand to lose. She looked around, but there was nothing she could use as a bandage.

Bandage or not, she had to clean it. There was a slim chance she could still survive, but if her wound became infected, there was no chance she would make it. With all the vegetation, there had to be a water supply somewhere.

Sabine, her body still shaking in protest and in pain, pushed herself away from the tree. She stumbled through the brush, trying but failing to keep the noise level low. Every step she took rustled branches and twigs or left her gasping in pain.

She walked faster. There was no way she was going to give up; it was not in her nature. Pushing through her burning side and every thought in her mind telling her to give up, Sabine broke into a run.

And she instantly regretted it.

Once she had taken her mind off of her footing, she had failed to notice a large root that protruded from the ground. Her slim foot slid underneath it, and before she knew what was happening she was falling.

And she was not stopping.

Her body was thrown down a steep ledge, smacking into the ground as gravity pulled her down. She pulled her arms up to cover her face and hoped that she would be alive when she reached the bottom.

Suddenly, the pull stopped, but the momentum did not. The world spun around as her body finally stopped its decent. Sabine lied there, uncertain if the world had stopped spinning.

Once her breathing steadied and she felt coherent, Sabine slowly opened her eyes. The stars shone through the dark black covering. Sabine stared up in awe, wishing that she had her paint. A wave of heartache came over her. It would be a long time before she would be back to the safety of the Ghost.

_If_  she made it back there alive.

_If_ the crew was still alive.  _If_  they found a way off this stupid planet.  _If,if,if_. There were too many 'ifs' in her life. Sabine's anger rose. She had no control over anything that was happening.

She could not help her friends. She could not even help herself. Useless! She was so useless!

Sabine took a deep breath, releasing her fisted hands. She needed to focus on what she  _could_  control. She could help herself find a place to rest. It was obvious now that she was in no condition to run. That left her one option: hide.

Sabine, using her elbows and hands to support her, brought herself up. Brushing off the leaves and twigs that had caught onto her armor, she stole a glance at her wound. It had not reopened, thankfully, but it was still sensitive. Looking at her wrist, Sabine let out a groan.

Her computer that was attached to her left wrist was busted. The white screen was shattered and wires were exposed, sparking.

"Blast it," she muttered. She sighed, knowing that her device had saved her, but frustrated that she no longer knew where she was. And there was no way to fix it without her tools, all of which were back on the Ghost.

When she gathered enough energy, she pushed herself up into a sitting position. Gritting her teeth, she managed to stand on her unsteady feet. With her right hand holding her side and her left hand supporting her shaking legs, it was impossible to raise her weapon. She was defenseless, and she hated it.

Just another reason she needed to find cover.

Looking around, Sabine noticed why she had tripped in the first place. A gaping hole starred back at her. She had tripped above the entrance, where the roots had grown stronger to support the leaning trees. Sabine smiled to herself. A cave would work as a perfect hiding spot for her to rest.

As she climbed the steep incline, fatigue caught up with her. With every step her body became heavier, her head cloudier. But she had to make it to the cave. The slope was difficult to climb, especially after being shot. But using the roots and vines she made her way up. With her last wave of energy, she pulled herself over the ledge, using her arms to drag her weary legs up. She positioned herself against the side, and once she was sure she was hidden, let her mind seep into the darkness that beckoned.

* * *

Sabine's ears shot open at the noise. Her body tried to sit up, momentarily forgetting that her side was still injured. She lied back down as the pain came crashing back. Taking deep breaths, she calmed herself down before trying to sit up again.

This time, she was successful. Her mind wandered to the noise she had heard. It had shaken the ground and a few pebbles had fallen from the cave ceiling to the floor. It had to be an explosion of some sort. But what had exploded, and who had exploded it?

Sabine knew that the cave was safer than going out and investigating. And what would she do if she found the source of the explosion? It was not like she could fight or run. No, she had to stay in the cave. At least, for now. She was worn out after losing so much blood and did not want to agitate her injury any more than she already had. She lowered herself back down, grateful that her blaster wound had not reopened. If it did, she did not know how much longer she would last. She was already feeling the effects of infection as her forehead was drenched in sweat.

Her mind, unable to rest, wandered back to the crew. She was mad at herself for running away from the fight. Now, Zeb could be dead, for all she knew, and it would be all her fault.

Sabine closed her eyes, her thoughts drifting to Hera and Kanan. They had accepted her right away, knowing what she had been through at the Academy. They knew she use to work for the Empire, but they trusted her; something that Sabine found hard to do. After what had happened, she was surprised at herself for letting them in.

She was even more surprised when they let her in.

She flashed back to when Kallus had raised his weapon above her. She had never thanked them for trusting her. That would have been her final memory. Sabine closed her eyes as they were weighed down by the thought.

Before drifting back into a restless sleep, Sabine swore that she would tell Hera and Kanan the next time she saw them.

_If_  she saw them.

* * *

All of his life, Zeb was prepared. There was never a day that went by that he found himself unprepared for any situation. He would use his abilities and his fighting skills to get him out of every situation he came across. He was, after all, an Honor Guard of Lasan. It was his duty to fight for his people and protect them. And the only way he could do that was by being able to find a way out of any situation.

But, the Honor Guard was all but extinct. Raw emotions flooded through him when his home was mentioned. For all he knew, he was the last of his species. And it angered him beyond compare. The Empire had ripped everything away from him; his home, his friends, his family.

And he was determined not to let it happen again.

But as he sat on a tree branch, his legs dangling in the air, it was hard come up with a plan.

After he was unable to look through the debris of the crashed Phantom, he climbed back into the trees. He was high up enough so he was not spotted from below, but low enough so he could not be seen by the passing TIE's.

The factory had been producing them, and since their plan had fallen to pieces, it was still operational. There was no way that he could destroy the factory by himself. But there was also no way to find the rest of the crew. He should have followed Sabine, to make sure she was alright. He could not get the image of Sabine's glazed eyes and shaking body out of his head.

Zeb looked back down at the data pad. If Hera had crash landed, then there was no escape off the stupid planet. But did the other members know that? It was still possible that they would show up there as planned.

But with the way things were going, Zeb was unsure if any of them were still alive.

There was no point in traveling any further. Instead, Zeb leaned his back against the thick trunk of the tree, certain that the large green leaves would hide his presence. He lied there, watching the sky turn to black as his worry tormented him until drowsiness took over.

But before he was able to succumb to the taunt of sleep, a thunderous noise ripped through the jungle. He jumped awake, eyes darting around to find the source. His claws shook as he began to climb higher to get a better look. It was risky, but his curiosity had won over fear. He climbed higher and near the top of the tree, pulled a branch down. It exposed something that Zeb never expected to see.

Black smoke was rising into the night sky in large clouds. Despite being miles away, Zeb could have sworn he felt the heat. With a quick glance at his stolen data pad, he knew what he was looking at.

Someone had blown up the factory, reducing it to ruble. His team was alive!

Zeb rubbed his eyes, hoping that it was not a dream. When he opened them back up, the smoke was still there, thicker and darker. He had to get there; he had to meet up with his friends, his  _family_.

Zeb frantically began climbing down the tree with a new purpose in mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~ Kavella ~


	8. Yellow Eyes

* * *

 

Hera awoke to a pounding headache and pain coursing through her body. Her ankle felt as if it was set ablaze in a smoky fire.

She took a deep breath, her eyes still closed; the idea of her ankle actually being on fire did not seem too far off. Smoke filled her nostrils, and her body reacted. Coughing, she sat up, her eyes adjusting to the night.

She was lying on a patch of soft moss, leaving imprints on her hands. She tried to remember what had happened. The fog in her mind faded as it all came crashing back.

"Good luck!" she shouted as her team began jumping off and onto the planet below. Hera kept the Phantom steady to the best of her ability. She heard commotion between Kanan and Ezra, but what else was new? They were always clashing heads, and neither seemed to know why. Hera sighed, knowing she would have a talk with Kanan later.

She closed the hatch and the wind that had flooded the ship subsided. Hera changed her directory for the journey out of the atmosphere, her thoughts going back to the team's Jedi and Jedi-in-training.

She knew Kanan very well, and the reason he was upset with Ezra. He just wanted to keep him out of harm's way, which was very hard for a teenager who claimed that it always found him. And even though Kanan did not like to admit it, he cared for the teen. And she could not blame him.

Ezra, with his charming attitude and eyes that were filled with hope, was hard not to like. He was a little rough around the edges, but then again, they all were. Everyone's life changed for the worse when the Empire showed up, but it was hard to see that it had affected the kid too. He was so young and still is, making it harder for him to control his emotions.

Hera refocused herself to flying the ship. She was exiting the atmosphere when the alarms began to blare, the noise startling her. She shifted in her seat, her eyes darting to the flashing scanner. Multiple fighters were approaching.

Fast.

But before she had time to react, the phantom jostled as it was hit from behind. Hera was thrown forward, but her grip on the steering kept her from cracking her skull open. She leaned back, maneuvering the ship back into the atmosphere of the lush planet. Eyes darting back to the scanner, the fighters still coming towards her. They moved faster than normal TIE's, their shots more accurate and their turns sharper.

Hera knew something was off, but pushed it off for later. If there was a later.

When another shot hit the Phantom, she lost control of the steering. Unable to control her ship, she strapped herself tighter in her seat and held tight.

Soon enough the ship began to spin. Hera held on for dear life, her stomach churning as the ship spun downwards. When it reached the dense forest, it rammed sideways into the thick trunk of a large tree. The metal bent and her beloved Phantom snapped in half. She remembered hearing the loud crunch of metal, the heat of the fire. And then, nothing.

"Hera?" Responding to her name, Hera tilted her head towards the sound of her voice. There sat Kanan, his ponytail loose and rugged, his clothes splotched with ash. "How are you feeling?" His voice was filled with worry, but seeing her sit up, his eyes hinted at hope.

"Like I was in a ship crash, kidnapped, and almost blown to pieces," she answered; frustrated at the situation they were in. Hera saw a flash of amusement on Kanan's face.

"I see your personality made it out unscathed," he replied. Hera just raised her eyebrows, as if saying, you know it. It was not long before Kanan broke away from her gaze, looking back up at the sky. "We have to keep moving."

Hera followed his gaze, tilting her head up as her head tails swung against her back. Instead of seeing a night sky filled with stars, it was only black. She connected the dots.

"Smoke," she said, and Kanan nodded.

"It seems our escape plan is backfiring on us."

"What else is new?" Kanan smiled, but it soon fell as he spoke again.

"It won't be long before the whole jungle is burned to a crisp." Hera knew he was right, but kept silent. She was aware that this would cause a lot of damage if it was not put out, and she doubted the Empire would try and save the planet. In fact, they might use it to their advantage; using to draw them all out.

"Kanan, the only thing we can do right now is to find the rest of our crew," Hera said. She knew Kanan would take on the blame for this, despite it not being his fault at all. But she also knew that telling him it was not his fault would not help him. Instead, she needed to help him focus his energy on what he could do. "Can you use the force to find them?"

Kanan suddenly found a great interest in his hands. They toiled in his lap, but after a few moments, he spoke up.

"I… I can't," he whispered. His eyes meet Hera's, and he spoke again. "There's…something else out there blocking me. It's…" Hera saw him flinch, and reached out to rest her hand on his knee. Kanan looked at her hand before speaking again. "I should have told him."

"Told who?"

"Ezra. He sensed it too and..." Kanan was struggling to get the words out of his mouth. "They're hungry."

"Who's hungry?" She asked, trying to decipher Kanan's nervous words.

"The Vornskr," Kanan stated. "They're beasts that use the force to hunt." Kanan looked into Hera's eyes, and for once, she only saw fear. "And their favorite snacks are Jedi."

* * *

Ezra opened his eyes and his body reacted. Coughing up water, he grabbed onto the dirt ground, and was confused. The last thing he remembered was the rush of the current, and a giant wave…

His lungs calmed and his throat continued to burn, but he let out a sigh of relief. He was lying on his stomach, the water brushing up against his feet before pulling back into the river. He pushed himself into a sitting position and was unable to hold back a hiss of pain.

His eyes looked at his left wrist, but quickly darted away. He gagged, trying to hold down his stomach. His wrist was bent at an odd angle, twisting at an angle that was impossible if the joint was still connected. The skin was purple from the restriction of blood flow. And the pain was unimaginable.

It coursed through him as black spots threatened his vision. Ezra grabbed his left arm, pulling his left wrist into his stomach. His grip was strong, the pain causing him to shake. Every little movement caused the fire in his wrist to explode. He breathed through clenched teeth, and slowly stood.

When he was on his feet, the smell of smoke filled his lungs. The night sky brought out the bright light of the fire. He turned around to face the river, and there on the other side, was the source of the smoke.

Ezra knew a thing or two about fire. On Lothal, with its vast fields and strong wind, fires were not uncommon. It would spread quickly and over miles of land, but it would be put out by farmers or, in recent years, the Empire. They could not risk anything happening to the plant, which supplied them with the resources they needed.

But this was a little different.

With the added trees, the burning fire shot miles up into the sky, tree branches cracking and falling into the river. The heat warmed his body, his clothes drying from his plunge into the river. Flecks of leaves fell, still aflame as the wind carried them down. Ezra stared, awestruck in fear at the bright wall of flames. It was a beautiful, yet a terrifying sight to behold.

He would have stared at the burning trees forever if it was not for the low growl that he heard. He whipped around, and came face to face with two bright yellow eyes.


	9. Waffles

Kallus looked down in awe at the sight. The decoy factory was ablaze, the burning orange flames spreading their arms across the jungle, reaching out to embrace every tree. The smoke rose into the night sky, erasing the glowing stars. He smiled at the sight. They were having no luck locating the rebels in the jungle, despite one being injured, and Lord Vader was becoming frustrated. Kallus did not want to be on the receiving end of his force choke, and this fire was the perfect way out of it.

"Order all troopers to evacuate the area, and tell all TIE pilots to open fire around the radius," Kallus ordered. He watched from the communications tower as the TIE's took off. The tower stood tall above the trees, a beacon in a world of flame. His plan would force the rebels out of the fire and lure them to the landing station he was at.

When they came seeking refugee from the fire, there would be no escape.

* * *

Zeb ran through the darkness of the jungle for what felt like years. His breathing was shallow and his legs burned, but he did not stop. If there was a chance that he could find his team, he was determined to do so. To try and fill his lungs with more air, he inhaled a deep breath through his nose, planning on releasing it from his mouth. But instead of smelling the fresh air, he only smelled a rancid order. Zeb came to a halt, coughing as he recognized the smell.

Blood.

He looked up, searching for the source. His nose guiding him, Zeb walked towards a dip in the jungle landscape. He leaned over the edge, holding onto the base of the nearest tree for support, looking down. Despite the darkness, his eyes allowed him to pick out the dark liquid that was smeared across the dirt ground. He ascended the slope, focusing on controlling his foot placement.

He was halfway down when he noticed that something was off. To his left, a cave protruded from the side of the slope. Curious, Zeb began shuffling towards it, noticing the smell of blood growing stronger.

He pulled himself into the cave, panting slightly from physical exhaustion. How long had it been since he had eaten? His stomach's growl answered that question. Although there was nothing in the cave, the smell was still strong. Zeb rubbed his hands, mindful of his sharp claws, over his face. He let his thoughts wander, but they always came back to how hopeless the situation seemed.

He sighed, about to stand up when a small moan chilled him to the bone. He glanced around, seeking the source and hoping that it was not something that would try and kill him.

"Who's there?" he asked, hoping someone would answer.

"Zeb?" The voice was weak, but it was clearly Sabine's. He called out to her again. "I'm over here," she responded. Zeb honed in on her voice, finding her entangled underneath low hanging vines. Her hiding spot was impeccable, even with his advanced eye sight. He carefully slid her out, Sabine letting out a small hiss of pain.

"Sorry," he grumbled, frustrated at the ISB agent who had done this to her. Once she was in the clear, Zeb assessed her injury.

The shot had taken its toll on her. It had stopped bleeding, but looked like the wound had been opened a few times before. Dirt was mixed in with the blood, and Zeb knew that it was not a good sign. He knew little about human anatomy, but he knew enough about injuries. He had to, being an Honor Guard. If it was not cleaned soon, it would become infected.

"Come on, Sabine. We 'ave to wash off your wound. I saw a river a little way's back." He helped Sabine stand, although Zeb was the one keeping her that way. With one arm holding Sabine upright, and the other climbing down the slope, Zeb began walking back the way he came.

"Zeb?" Sabine asked, sounding confused. "Wow, you're strong. Verrry strong." Karabast. The wound may already be infected.

"Don't talk. Save your energy," he ordered.

"Okay, okay. Someone didn't have their waffles this morning." Zeb's stomach growled. What he would not give for some waffles. Following the noise of the rushing water, they arrived at the river bank. He eased Sabine down, careful not to upset the injury.

"This may sting a little," he said, cupping water into his large hands and pouring it over the wound. Sabine showed no signs of pain other than a slight wince. She was completely out of it.

"Did Ezra steal your waffles?" Zeb ignored her, focusing on the wound. "There he is – go tell him that you want them back." Sabine pointed over her shoulder, and Zeb followed her gaze. It was hard to tell in the poorly lit night sky, but out on the river a small piece of cloth was wedged in a crevice of a rock.

It was the exact color of Ezra's jumpsuit.

Zeb stared at the cloth, a million thoughts jumping and latching onto his mind. All of them depicted a situation where Ezra was either dead or barely alive, and neither sat well with the Lasat.

He broke his gaze with the cloth, returning his attention to Sabine. There was nothing he could do for Ezra at the moment. He needed to focus on helping Sabine, who seemed to be more aware than before.

"Zeb?" she asked, her eyes focusing more than they had before. He splashed water on the wound, finally satisfied that it would not become infected. But if it already was, at least it would not become worse.

He stood, his knees aching, and scanned around for something to tie the wound with. Neither he nor Sabine had extra cloth that they could rip off, like Ezra. Zeb shook his head. Now was not the time to worry. He had to stay focused – for Sabine's sake.

He came back to the Mandalorian with an abnormally large green leaf. Washing it off in the river, he wrapped it around Sabine's midsection, tying it the best he could. It was not perfect, but it was something.

"Zeb." He looked over at Sabine, whose voice sounded alarmed. "The sky's on fire."

His eyes followed Sabine's outstretched hand, pointing above their heads, finding that Sabine's words were true. The tree tips were ablaze, the fire snapping branches off of the trunk to fall to the forest floor. It was an unnatural sight, as only the trunk and lower part of the group of trees was not being burned to a crisp.

Zeb stared curiously as a familiar noise sounded from above. He looked up, seeing the unmistakable silhouette of a TIE fighter. It soared by them, Zeb clenching his fists as he deciphered the Empire's plan.

They would either be captured or burned to a crisp.

He opted to neither.

Helping Sabine stand, who seemed to have more strength than before, they made their way away for the river, hoping to outrun the burning trees.


	10. Plan

"Kanan, we should take a break." Kanan obliged; his arms and legs burning, not from fire, but from exhaustion. He gently placed Hera down, collapsing beside her. His lungs ached from the lack of oxygen, the smell of smoke still in the air. They leaned against the trunk of a tree, catching their breath.

"How fast can one fire spread?" he asked. Hera shook her head.

"I don't know, but something doesn't feel right."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," Hera said, turning her gaze to meet Kanan's. "It's not possible that one fire is spreading this fast, right? We've been running for a while, shouldn't we have avoided it by now?"

Kanan nodded. "Yeah, we should have. But I guess it's just spreading faster than we thought." They sat there for a moment, taking in the safety from each other's presence. Finally, Kanan broke the silence. "How's the ankle feeling?"

"Better now that it's gotten a chance to rest." Hera stared at it for a moment before continuing. "Thank you, by the way. For rescuing me."

"Don't mention it," he replied. A moment passed, the pair listening to the background noises of the jungle that gave it life.

"I crashed the Phantom."

"I figured as much," Kanan responded, shooting the pilot a flirtatious smile. He sighed, rolling his shoulders back as he shifted his position against the tree trunk. "How are we going to get off of this planet? It'll be another rotation before Ahsoka and the alliance realize something went wrong."

"What, for once you don't have a plan?" Hera asked, the amusement obvious in her voice.

"Well, do you have one?" Kanan retorted back.

"Actually, I do."

"Oh really?" Hera nodded as Kanan smiled. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Yep. For once, I'm the one with the dangerous plan that has a low chance of actually working out, but still somehow always works out anyway," Hera teased.

"Care to let me in on it?" A mischievous smile grew on Hera's face.

"There's a communications tower that's not too far from the factory. It's where the supplies would arrive. Which means, there's bound to be a ship that we can fly off of this planet."

"But the factory was abandoned. How can we be sure that this place isn't abandoned either?" Hera shrugged.

"We don't. But it's our only chance. Besides, I've never meet a ship that I can't fix."

"That's true," Kanan mused. "And once there, we'll be able to find the others."

"Now you're catching on." Hera smiled. "We should probably keep moving. The faster we get there, the faster we can-"

A twig snapped in the distance, the sound making the pair twitch in surprise. Kanan stood, motioning for Hera to stay where she was, knowing that the caring pilot would ignore her injuries if she thought it was necessary. Unclipping his lightsaber from its holster, the blue night illuminated the dark surroundings. It was a beacon for whoever, or whatever, was out there, but he trusted that his reflexes would protect them.

His eyes closed. The night impaired his vision, but it did not impair his senses. He reached out to the force, and it answered back. Reaching out with his senses, he opened his eyes in shock, the connection to the force snapping.

"Hera, it's okay," he said, turning to face the pilot. She looked at him in confusion, lowering Kanan's blaster, but did not question him. With a nod, Kanan turned back as the figure emerged out of the darkness and into their vision.

"Zeb! Sabine!" Hera exclaimed as Kanan rushed up to them. Zeb was a little banged up, but seemed to be the one supporting Sabine, who looked frustrated. "Are you alright?" Kanan helped support Sabine on her other side, and reluctantly, she threw her arm around his neck.

"We're fine," Sabine said with a note of anger in her voice. Kanan and Zeb lowered her down next to Hera.

"No, you're not," Zeb stated. Sabine muttered something under her breath, and Kanan did not need to hear to know it was not pleasant. "She's just upset 'cause she got a little loopy from the blaster shot."

"Blaster shot?" Kanan and Hera exclaimed.

"It's not that bad! And I'm not mad about that, I know it's a common reaction to injuries-"

"Hold on, how did you get shot?" Kanan asked. Zeb and Sabine answered in unison.

"Kallus."

"Sabine, are you sure you're alright?" Hera asked again.

"I'm fine," Sabine said. Noticing that Hera was still sitting up against the tree, she spoke again. "What happened to you?"

"I crashed the phantom," she responded. Zeb let out a grunt.

"More like destroyed it," he said.

"You saw it?" Sabine asked. Zeb nodded.

"See! This is what I'm talking about. He won't tell me anything!"

"Sabine, what are you talking about?" Kanan asked.

"Zeb won't tell me what I said to him! Obviously it was something upsetting, and since I can't remember anything during that time, it's kind of annoying!"

"Sabine, it's okay." Hera placed a hand on her shoulder, which she looked like she was about to shrug off before deciding not to. Kanan looked at Zeb, who seemed to have grown uncomfortable with what Sabine had said.

"Zeb?" he asked, his eyes narrowing. Zeb took a deep breath before answering.

"It's not something you said, Sabine; it's something that you…pointed out." The crew waited as Zeb gathered his words. Sabine, however, was fed up enough and broke the silence.

"And what did I point out?"

"You pointed out a piece of fabric that was tied to a rock…in the water." Zeb shifted on his feet, not making eye contact with anyone.

"And why is that a big deal?" Sabine asked.

"Because," Zeb confessed. "The piece of cloth was from Ezra's jumpsuit." The mood of the crew changed drastically as their minds dissected the information. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry."

The silence weighed them down as Kanan's mind was swarmed with thoughts, as were the rest of the crews. What was Ezra doing in the water? Had he made it out alive? Or was he floating downstream, his eyes open and lungs filled with -

Kanan shook the image from his mind. No, he would have sensed it. He tried to steady his breathing, and reach for the force. He connected to it, his senses enhanced as he stretched them out through the jungle, searching for his missing padawan. But he was nowhere. There was some force blocking his senses, and Kanan withdrew – knowing what it was. When he opened his eyes, he found three pairs staring back at him.

"Could you…could you sense him?" Sabine asked.

"No, but it isn't because he's gone. The Vornskrs are blocking me from reaching out to him."

"What's a Vornskr?" Zeb questioned.

"A beast native to the planet," Kanan explained. "Thankfully, we haven't run in to one yet, but I think that's only because of Ezra. They use the force to hunt, and a padawan's force signature is wilder and purer than their masters, making them more of a target."

"So we can't locate Ezra, and he's probably being eaten by wild, hungry animals?" Sabine asked, and when Kanan nodded solemnly, she said "Great. Just great."

The situation seemed lost as all four crew members were sucked into their own worrisome thoughts. Kanan was beating himself up about Ezra. He should have protected him; he should have kept a closer watch on him. He should have gone back for him.

He sighed, knowing that the past was in the past. It could not be changed, but he could change the future. And that was what he was going to do.

"So, what's the plan?" Zeb asked.

"The plan is the old plan," Kanan said, still a bit hesitant. "We make our way to the communications tower, steal a ship, and find Ezra. Then we get the heck off of this planet."

"Okay, just a small problem with that," Sabine said. "That's where they want us to go. It's obviously a trap."

"Yeah, the bucket heads has been starting fires all around, trying to force us out," Zeb explained.

"No, that makes it better," Kanan exclaimed, a new spark igniting in him. "If they're trying to force us out with the fire, they won't be expecting us until the fire gets closer. We can scope the place out first. And, it also ensures that Ezra will be forced there as well."

"Yeah, along with the Vornskrs," Hera added.

"I can take care of them, trust me. But for the rest of my-" Hera cleared her throat. "Sorry, Hera's plan to work, we're going to need everyone to fight. Are you up for it?" Sabine answered first.

"This isn't the first time I've been shot. I'm in."

"Count me in too," Zeb said.

"Hera?"

"I'll figure something out," she said. Kanan nodded, and began discussing everyone's role. It was risky, and had a low chance of working out, but that was nothing out of the ordinary for the team. They would make it through it, as they had many times before.

They just hoped that the end result was getting off of this planet, with their lost crew member still alive.


	11. Monster

The yellow eyes pounced on him before he knew what was happening. With no time to dodge, the force of the beast slammed into his chest, throwing Ezra off of his feet. He landed on his back, his arms instinctively covering his face as he tried to fend it off.

Whatever it was, it was strong and fast. He screamed in pain as something sliced across his chest, the pain shooting through his body like the growing fire.

What was even stranger was the feeling the beast was giving off through the force; it was one that was completely primal. He could sense fear, anger, and…hunger.

Ezra's body began to race with adrenaline as he realized that it was the same presence he had felt before; the same presence that Kanan had tried to protect him from. He managed to land a kick to the beast, flinging him off of his body. He rolled to his side, the rush of adrenaline overpowering the pain of his chest and wrist. He jumped up to his feet, spinning and coming face to face with his attacker.

It was then that he realized that his attacker was a monster.

Its brown shaggy fur covered its body, even hanging down from its jaw that was filled with sharp teeth. Its yellow eyes bore straight into him, a glob of drool dripping from its mouth. It legs, however, were furless, long black claws digging into the dirt. Its tail flicked back and forth, and Ezra knew it was much too long to be only used for agility.

He took a step back, but it took a step forward.

"Hey there…you," he said. Ezra was still unsure about what exactly the animal was. It growled in response, its tail flicking back and forth as it took a step closer. He took another step back, holding his hands out in front of him, as if they could calm the beast.

Another low growl sounded from behind him. Whipping around, he was able to dodge the leaping animal just in time. With the growing black smoke and the darkness of the night, his vision was poor. He tried to reach out with his senses, but they were blocked – and he knew that the beasts had something to do with it.

After a third dodge, he was heavily outnumbered. Three beasts approached him, all of them trying to flick him with their tails. He knew he was unable to fight, and that left one option. Run.

Ezra had run a lot in his life. Whether it was from Stormtroopers, bounty hunters, or his problems; he had always run away in fear. Fear of the unknown: what would happen to him if they caught him? But as he ran away from the beasts, and from the approaching fire, he felt a different kind of fear.

He felt terror.

Now, he was no longer running from the fear of the unknown; he was running from the fear of death. Each step he took was one further away from it, but every slip or hesitation was one step closer.

Tree branches flicked by him, scraping and cutting his body, but they did not slow him down. He could hear the patter of the animal's paws behind him, their razor teeth and claws itching to seep deep into his skin and tear through his body.

He coughed as the smoke seeped into his lungs. His intake of air became shallow and quick, lungs burning from the lack of oxygen. But there was no time to stop and catch his breath. He had to keep running. It was his only option; the only way to survive.

His hair blew into his face as he risked a glance over his shoulder. Suddenly, the beasts that were following him had vanished. But the lack of the predators did not stop Ezra. His heart was racing, and his legs were on auto-pilot, feeling numb to the pain that consumed his muscles.

But his legs could not carry on forever, and the jungle path would not always be flat. A root from a large tree tangled itself around his foot, his momentum sending him smack into the mud. He quickly untangled it, but by then, the beasts had come out of hiding. He stood, wiping away the mud that had stuck onto his face, trying to think of an escape.

But before one could come to his mind, he was cornered. The three beasts circled him, teasing him with their dancing yellow eyes.

Ezra heard it before he felt it; the snap of the beast's tail. The sound was like a whip, as was the pain. He cried out, falling onto the ground once more. He landed on his left shoulder, his eyes closed in pain. He tried to stand; he had to get up, he had to keep running. But his body was unresponsive, refusing to move.

Was he frozen in fear? No, he knew he wanted to run. His brain was still racing with thoughts, scrambling to force his body to move. But if it was not fear, then why was he stuck lying on his side in the mud, with three hungry animals circling him?

A tail swooshed by his face, and it was then that Ezra got a closer look. The tip of it was pointed, and the beasts never dragged it across the ground. They were poisons, the venom laced into the tip to stun its victims. Ezra could only hope it was temporary, and that it would wear off before he was turned inside out.

The warmth that radiated off of the furry beast could be felt on his chest. One of the beasts had come closer, sniffing him and drooling. If his body was not frozen, he would have been trembling from fear. The beast then opened its jaws, ready to strike.

But with a stroke of luck, the jaws never made their way into his skin.

Instead, another beast snarled and snapped their jaws at the one closest to him. Apparently, as Ezra was learning, they did not get along well with others. The beast snarled back, and within the minute, it became an all-out battle over who would be the one to sink their teeth into his flesh.

Ezra watched, helpless as the beasts fought. They scratched and growled and whipped their tails, and finally, one came out as the winner. The other two backed away, but remained nearby; probably hoping they could salvage scraps.

The winning beast limped over (one of the beasts had bitten its front leg), and Ezra was panicking. The venom had not worn off yet; he was still immobilized.

His luck had worn out.

The beast, aware that the others were still watching, latched onto Ezra's leg, sinking its fangs deep into his thigh.

The pain was unimaginable. He screamed, tears streaming down his face. This was not how he thought he would die, viciously mauled to death by beasts. Before, when he lived alone, he thought he would die from starvation or dehydration. When he met the crew, he thought he would die at the hands of Vader, whoever he was. The nightmares still haunted him. But never once did he consider that he would be eaten by ravenous beasts.

The ground suddenly moved, and the pain sharpened. He let out another elongated gasp, squeezing his eyes and biting his cheek. He was being dragged away, (at an awkward angle; the beast was walking backwards and biting into his thigh) most likely because the beast was selfish about his prey.

Ezra just hoped he could use that to his advantage.

Whilst being dragged, his injured left wrist had knocked into a stone that obtruded from the ground. Ezra winced, and when he did, he moved his arm closer to his body. His surprise overwhelmed the pain for a brief moment before returning.

He tried to move his toes in his tattered shoes, and he felt them respond. He released a breath of relief, which quickly turned into a gasp as the beast readjusted his teeth. He could move again.

But that did not change the fact that he was trapped in the mouth of the beast. He needed a distraction, something to get him out of its jaws. But as no distraction came, and as he continued to be dragged along the jungle floor, he realized that he was alone.

Thoughts rushed into his mind, all filled with worry for his team's safety. Were they even alive? No, they had to be. They were an unstoppable force, stealing from the Empire and giving to those in need. Nothing could stop them. Everything they did was for others.

But he, on the other hand, deserved this. He deserved this fate. He had stolen from everyone, only to feed himself. Why should he even fight it anymore? He should just let the monster devour him. It would be better that way. Maybe he would see his parents again.

But, what would happen to Kanan, and Hera, and Sabine, and Zeb? Would they miss him? Would they even care?

His mind was telling him no. No one ever cared what happened to him before, so why would anyone care now? But his heart was telling him that they would. They would miss him.

Ezra opened his eyes, having blacked out sometime while he was lost in thought. The beast's teeth were still latched into his leg, his body still being dragged along the ground.

He was still stuck.

Dark spots filled the edges of his vision, but before they could spread over his whole vision, the snap of a tree echoed through the area. Ezra forced the black spots away, and looking up, he saw the source of the noise. A thick branch, still aflame, was falling.

He glanced at the beast, which saw it too. But by then, it was too late for it to react. It released Ezra's leg and yelped in surprise, shooting back as the branch landed right where it had stood.

Ezra smirked. Even if he was alone, the force was always with him.

He gathered himself, slowly standing. He looked across the flaming branch, into the yellow eyes that glared back at him, before another snap was heard. A larger branch landed next to the beast, and it yelped again. Suddenly, the entire tree was falling. It snapped and moaned as gravity pulled it down. Ezra coughed, only now realizing that his lungs were filled with more smoke than oxygen.

He ran, limping slightly as he did. His mind was oddly clear as he focused on the beat of his feet against the ground. He felt the lick of fire as the tip of the tree came too close for comfort. He did not look back, ignoring the loud yelp of the beast as the crashing tree silenced it.

He ran for what felt like ages, before every muscle screamed with exhaustion. Panting, Ezra slowed down to a walk, the adrenaline wearing off and the pain setting in. His wrist was on fire, as was his back and chest. He looked down at his thigh, which had gone numb, and tried not to lose his stomach at the sight of deep gashes that littered his leg.

If only he had his lightsaber, he could have fought back. But unfortunately, it was still in Kallus's possession.

A thought occurred to Ezra. It had been some time since his list Stormtrooper sighting. Had they given up the search?

Ezra scoffed at himself. The Empire never gave up anything. But there was something nagging at the back of his mind, something that he could not place. The Empire surely must have heard the beasts, or him, at least once throughout the night. Why had he not seen any?

Ezra limped over a fallen log as the dark night sky slowly became lighter. He let out a breath of relief, hoping that the beasts were nocturnal.

But he could never get that lucky.

He heard a low growl from behind, and turning around, he came face to face with two of the beasts. They were angrier and agitated, their jaws snapping and the drool pouring out of their mouths.

"Why don't you go hunt something your own size?" he asked, annoyed at the creature's persistence. Then, as he compared their height against his own, he was just the right size.

He turned on his heel and ran, ignoring the howls and screeches from the beasts behind him. There was still smoke present in the air, and Ezra began to cough as it got back into his lungs. He kept his pace, now knowing what the beasts would do to him if he faltered.

His leg felt worse than when the beast was biting into it. More blood rushed out of it, leaving a trail on the muddy ground. Just when his body wanted to collapse and give in to the jaws of death, a familiar noise reached his ears.

Blaster fire.

His pace picked up, making his way to the left, towards the sound. Warning bells went off in his head, but he was so caught up that he paid them no attention. He broke through the clearing, stopping in shock.

Four familiar faces appeared before him, and in that moment, nothing else mattered. Not the approaching beasts, not the Stormtroopers that were closing in on his team, not the sound of approaching TIE fighters.

The only thing that mattered was that his friends were alive.

And when the tail whipped across his back, he screamed in surprise and in pain. And when he went down, the world faded to black; his mind at rest now that he knew the crew was alright.


	12. Electric

"I surrender." Sabine came out of the brush, her arms raised in the air, walking towards the huddle of troopers. "I give up!" she yelled. "Please, I can't go on. I surrender."

The troopers came rushing over, their blasters raised in suspicion. Sabine continued walking forward as much as her injury allowed.

Desperation filled her voice as she continued to speak. "I give up." The troopers formed a semi-circle around her, standing still, unsure of what to do.

Their confusion and uncertainty was the perfect distraction. With their blasters trained on Sabine, they failed to notice the shadow that crept above them. And when the troopers did hear the leaves rustle above their heads, it was too late.

Zeb pounced, falling from the branch and on top of the troopers. He got up quickly, ramming his muscular body into the others. Once they had all fallen, he turned to Sabine.

"Heh. Nice acting."

"Nice sneak attack," Sabine retorted. "Come on, we don't have much time before-"

A blaring alarm interrupted her sentence, startling them.

"Too late," Zeb said. He glanced at Sabine, who bit her lip in nervousness.

"Come on, we have to go through with it. Otherwise…" Sabine let the thought hang in the air, both not wanting to finish it. This was their only hope of escape, their only way to safety. If they did not make it, they would be property of the Empire.

Sabine, with the help of Zeb, made their way towards the ship as fast as possible. Their hearts were racing as the alarm continued on. Soon the landing platform would be crawling with troopers, and their chances of survival would be all but nonexistent.

They spotted Kanan and Hera on the other side of the platform. Hera was in Kanan's arms, shooting his blaster at the Stormtroopers who chased after them. Zeb and Sabine speed up, reaching the ship before them. Sabine let go of Zeb, now using the bar that ran from the ramp to the ship for support. She drew her only blaster, and Zeb did the same.

They fired at the Stormtroopers, hoping to buy Kanan and Hera more time. But the troopers kept on coming, and by the time Kanan and Hera reached the ship, they were surrounded. Kanan put Hera down, making sure she was alright before pulling out his blue blade.

He held off the shots that would have killed them, reflecting them back at the source. They were managing to hold them off, but it was not enough. They were still outnumbered and outgunned.

Suddenly, the shots stopped. In confusion, the crew stopped shooting as well. The crowd of white and black armor parted, and through it came the ISB agent, wearing an evil smile.

"Kallus," Zeb growled, his eyes narrowing. He, like the rest of the crew, knew that he was up to something.

"Rebels," Kallus spit back, looking disgusted by them. "I suggest you surrender now, before things get a bit…messy."

"We'll never surrender to the Empire," Kanan said, his voice steady, despite the crew knowing he was just as afraid as them.

"Such a shame. Now you'll have to die, just like the boy did." After seeing the shocked and worried faces of the crew, he continued. "That's right. We recovered his body a while ago. Such a shame, but I wouldn't be too surprised. No child would be able to survive out there all alone." Kallus grinned, knowing by the look on the Jedi's face that he had pushed all the right buttons. It seemed he had convinced everyone, except-

"You're wrong," Hera said strongly.

"And how would you know that?" The twi'lek stared defiantly at him, but made no move to answer. Kallus smiled again. "Considering you have no proof to back up that statement, I-"

"Neither do you," Hera said. She met Kanan's eyes, who seemed worried. Hera did not care – she knew that he was alive. He had to be.

"Oh, on the contrary, I do." The faces of the crew only made Kallus happier. A trooper handed a data pad to him. "He said, and I quote, 'If the Empire wants me alive, then… I'd rather be dead'. And with that, he jumped into the river below." Kallus handed the data pad back. By the look of the face's crew, that was something the boy would say. "Now that you know there is no one left, it's time for you to die."

He raised his hand and pointed at them, and the firestorm of blaster fire began. They were being pushed back into the ship, but there was nowhere to duck for cover. Hera could not make it to the pilot's seat without running – and in her condition, it was impossible. Sabine was the only other person who had the knowledge to fly the ship – but her injury prevented her as well.

Was it true that Ezra was dead? Kanan could not sense him, but that was because of the Vornskr. He would have felt the bond break...right? He shook the thought from his mind. No, Ezra had to be alive. He was strong in spirit, and Kanan knew that he could persevere.

He just did not know for how long.

Kanan blocked and deflected shots, squeezing his brain for any idea on how to get out of this situation. But for once, it looked bleak. There were no openings and no chance for anyone to sprint to the pilot's seat. And even if they did make it and start up the ship, they would be torn between leaving and waiting for Ezra to show up. Kanan refused to believe Kallus' words, despite the lingering unease caused by the lack of his padawan's force presence.

He was focused on the fight when something caught his eye. He turned to get a better look, seeing a figure emerge from the shadows. The figure was coated in scrapes and cuts, some small and others large, and his face was splashed with a mixture of blood and dirt.

But Kanan could recognize those electric blue eyes anywhere. Ezra was alive.

Kallus followed his gaze, his eyes narrowing in anger. Ezra seemed a bit dazed, and continued to stand still. But he needed to move. He had emerged on Kallus' side of the fight, right behind the edge of the troopers.

"Ezra!" he shouted, trying to get the young boys attention. The crew's heads all turned and saw their member standing still.

But it did not last long.

Ezra let out a scream of pain like Kanan had never heard before. His blue eyes disappeared underneath his eyelids, and his body went limp. He fell forward onto the ground, revealing a gleaming eyed Vornskr. It eyed his padawan, its jaw wide open, revealing razor sharp teeth that were coated in drool.

It was going to eat Ezra.

Kanan's stomach turned into knots. He wanted to protect his padawan so that this would not happen, but instead he had to face it all on his own. Now he lied there defenseless against the Vornskr and Kallus, who began sprinting toward his body. His blaster shots drove the beast away, but Kallus was still towards Ezra.

A surge of anger engulfed Kanan. It burned as fiercely as the fire that now surrounded them, crackling and fizzing inside of him. Without a second hesitation, he raced after Kallus, through the cluster of troopers. His lightsaber flowed through the movements like a river. He did not need to think about his motions; his blade seemed to know them. It sliced through troopers like they were nothing. But Kanan did not notice. All his attention was focused on his padawan.

Despite his efforts, when he cleared through the crowd of troopers, Kallus had beaten him. He stood, using Ezra's body as a human shield. One arm was hooked underneath Ezra's arms, and the other held his Bo-staff outstretched.

"Don't try anything, Jedi," he threatened. Kanan did not blink.

"Let. Him. Go."

"I'd rather not. It's nothing personal, rebel, but young force sensitive minds are of great value to the Empire now. And this boy fits all the requirements. He'll join us, whether he wants to or not. The Empire has a talent for breaking people."

"Let him go. Now." Kallus started walking backwards, and Kanan followed.

"Or what? There's nothing you can do to stop me." Kallus continued walking back, Ezra's limp body still in his arms. Kanan realized that he was headed towards his ship, which was only a few more meters away. He did not have much time.

But there was nothing he could do, not without risking the life of his padawan.

Kallus was one step away from boarding the ship when a low growl emitted from behind. Kallus and Kanan turned to the side, coming face to face with yellow eyes. The two Vornskrs arched their backs, their tails whipping from side to side behind them.

Kanan followed their eyesight to Ezra. Apparently they did not like having to share.

"What the-" Before Kallus could finish, the beasts pounced. In surprise, Kallus dropped Ezra, who fell to the ground in a heap. Kallus fought back against the beasts, using his electric staff to ward them off, but they did not give up. They pushed him back and away from Ezra, and Kanan rushed toward him.

Resting his hand on Ezra's temple, he flinched. His skin was hot to the touch, his body mangled with cuts and gashes. Kanan felt a stab of pain. He should have prevented this, he should have protected him.

Making sure the coast was clear; he scooped his small padawan into his arms. He picked him up with ease, a fact that worried him even more so. He turned around, prepared to fight his way back through the hoard of troopers. He heard a mangled cry from the Vornskr, and he knew he was running out of time.

But before he could sprint towards the crew, a dark shadow spread across the ground. It left an eerie glow, the only light coming from the raging inferno that was once a lush jungle. Kanan was drenched in sweat and knew that his lungs were filled with smoke.

He looked up, silently praying to the force that it was not an Empire ship.

And for once, his prayers were answered.

Above him flew the Phoenix Home, and Kanan had never felt more relieved. Ahsoka was going to rescue them. They were going to survive! Kanan held Ezra closer, each rise and fall of his chest reassuring him that things were going to be alright. He was not going to lose-

Pain erupted into the back of his shoulder, the momentum making him stumble forwards. His arm jerked, and he was helpless as Ezra slipped out of his grasp. The next thing he knew his back was on the ground, his head spinning as the pain in his shoulder increased.

He shook his head, blinking away the black spots. His vision came back into focus, and a part of him wished it had not.

Kallus stood above him, the electric tip of his bo-staff sizzling and crackling. He felt the heat of the weapon on his chest. Seeing the wild look in Kallus' eye, he knew that there was no escape.

He closed his eyes as the electric feeling washed through him.


	13. Connected

Sabine was tired.

It was not the kind of tired from not getting enough sleep. It was the kind of tired that someone felt when they could not physically go on. And Sabine knew she could not go on for much longer. Her legs were sore, her body in pain, and her mind weak.

It had been more than six hours since she had been shot. And since then her stomach had been bleeding on and off again. She knew she did not have much time left.

Her firing became more sporadic as her vision began to blur. She could not tell where one trooper ended and another began. It all was a blur of white, black, and red. But her finger kept firing. It was all that she could do. Her thoughts were becoming as blurred as her vision, and the sounds of the blasters and her teammates drained to a mute. Suddenly she felt her feet begin moving, but she had no control over them.

She felt the sensation of falling.

And then nothing.

* * *

Ezra could not open his eyes, no matter how hard he tried.

But he could still feel.

He felt the cold ground against his stomach. He felt the gruff arm wrapped around his chest, and he heard people talking. He did not know who.

And then he felt the cold ground again.

But then a different feeling came over him. Someone had picked him up and was holding him in their arms. He felt the warmth of the person, heard his heart racing. The sound comforted him. He was lost, unsure of where he was or who he was, but whoever was holding him was safety. They could be trusted.

So when that feeling slipped away from him, and he was left on the cold ground again, he suddenly woke.

At first, everything was white. He blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted, his head feeling light as a wave of dizziness washed over him. He wanted to puke.

But a stab of panic hit his mind. Something was wrong. He looked around, his body protesting as he slowly sat up.

He gasped as the pain was unbearable. But when he looked to his right, the pain was put aside and panic set in.

Someone was standing over Kanan, poised to kill him. _Kanan_. He did not know how he knew the man’s name, but he did. And he was in danger.

Ezra slowly stood, putting most of his weight on his good leg. He gasped as an electric feeling shot through his body. When it was gone, he looked back at Kanan and the man. He felt an instinct that was telling him what to do. And he trusted it. It felt similar to the trust he felt towards Kanan.

Ezra stretched out his hands. He took in a deep breath and he felt all of the people around. He felt Kanan, he felt the soldiers, and he felt Zeb, and Sabine, and Hera. Even though he could not remember who they were, he knew they were his friends. He was… _connected_ to them. But it was not just them, it was… everything.

The power surged through him, but it did not frighten him. Instead, it felt as if a piece of him had returned. A piece that he did not realize was missing.

He opened his eyes, realizing that he had closed them a moment before, and focused this power on Kallus, the man who stood above Kanan.

And Ezra pushed.

Kallus slid away from Kanan, who shuddered. Ezra saw Kanan open his eyes, blinking a few times, before turning to Ezra. He felt Kanan’s presence inspecting him, but he shut him out. Kanan’s presence recoiled, but it stayed close. Ezra felt bad about doing it, but Kallus was back.

He stood, pure rage boiling in his eyes, and switched his electric staff into a gun, and fired.

On any normal day, Ezra knew that he could have dodged the shot. The presence told him where they were going, and which way he should move. But his leg was numb and his back on fire. He realized, a little too late, that he could not dodge the shot that was headed for his heart.

But Kanan must have sensed his surprise.

Before the blaster shot could hit him and take what was left of his life, he heard a familiar noise and the deflection of the shot. He opened his eyes, and before him stood Kanan, blue lightsaber ignited. Ezra let out a sigh of relief.

Kanan would protect him.

* * *

Hera was helpless as she watched Sabine stumble.

“Sabine!” she shouted, hoping against all odds that Sabine would catch herself. But their luck had run out the moment they stepped foot on the planet. Sabine stumbled, falling onto her side in a heap. Her chest moved up and down, spilling fresh blood onto the pristine Imperial ship floor.

“Hera, look!” Hera took her eyes off of Sabine, directing her attention to what Zeb was pointing to. The Phoenix home flew above them, washing a feeling of safety over Hera.

Their backup was here.

Her eyes darted between Sabine and the ship. Smaller ships undocked from the Phoenix home and came barreling down. They landed haphazardly, the soldiers spilling out before the doors were fully open. They rushed up to the ship they were bunkered in, their numbers making the fight fairer. One soldier came up to her and kneeled down.

“Are you hurt Specter two?”

“Yes,” she said. “My ankle – I think it’s sprained.”

“Can you walk?”

“Not on my own,” she admitted. It was a bit embarrassing, but there were bigger things to worry about than her feelings. The man helped her stand and placed her arm over his shoulder. Together they made their way out of the ship and away from the fight. Hera spotted Sabine being carried on a gurney by two females.

She turned her head around and spotted Zeb fighting with the soldiers. But there was no sight of the other two members of her crew. 

“Where’s Specter one and six?” she asked.

“I’m unsure Specter two. Our forces are unable to reach their location.”

“We have to find them,” she persisted. Kanan had already suffered hell from the first time he was captured. Some nights she could hear his sniffling from the silent tears that raced down his cheeks. She would lie awake, unsure if he needed space or a shoulder to cry on. When she did wake him from a nightmare he drew away and refused to talk to her. But every noise he made from the other room was like a stab in the heart.

“We’ll find them, Specter two.” Hera was ushered into the ship. It closed, the soldiers shouting at the pilots to get moving. The ship rocked as blasters hit it, and Sabine kept an eye on Sabine, who still lied unconscious on the gurney. The ship gained altitude and docked to the Phoenix.

The medics picked up Sabine and rushed through the ship, shouting phrases that Hera did not understand. But by the tone of their voice it did not sound good.

The same man who helped her onto the ship helped her out. He took her to the med bay, in a separate area from Sabine. She sat down on the bed, wanting nothing more than to fall onto her back and sleep for days. Instead, the ship rocked again, and the door wished open.

Hera looked up to see Ahsoka approaching her.

“Ahsoka! You need to help Kanan and Ezra,” Hera blurted. Ahsoka sauntered to her bed and placed a hand on Hera’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry, but I cannot intervene. I need to be directing the soldiers. Even coming here is a risk.”

“But-”

“Hera,” Ahsoka assured. “You must have faith in them, and faith in the force. It is not in my place to intertwine.” Hera slumped her shoulders in defeat. “You care deeply about your team, and that is admirable. But know that you cannot always protect them, especially in this time of rebellion.”

“We’re not a team. We’re a family,” Hera corrected. To her surprise, Ahsoka smiled.

“I understand. I cared about my family too. My master,” Ahsoka stopped, pondering something, before continuing. “My master…, and his master, and all the other Jedi and the clones.”

“Then you have to help them,” Hera pleaded. “I don’t know where they are and Ezra…”

“I know you are worried, Hera. But focus on getting better, and have faith that they will be okay.” Ahsoka nodded once more before hurrying out of the room. But before she left she paused, as if flinching. She turned back to Hera and gave her a nod before leaving.

Hera looked down at her ankle, which she had not realized had been wrapped. She took a deep breath.

Deep down, Hera knew Ahsoka was right. She had to have faith. But seeing Ezra with the fear in his eyes, and his body littered with scratches and blood had shaken her to her core. They had many successful missions and only a few minor cuts and scrapes from time to time, but this was different. Sabine had been shot, Hera in a ship crash, Kanan had sustained multiple injuries that she knew he was hiding, and Ezra; well, she had no idea what happened to him. But with that much blood, it could not be good.

Hera lied down on her bed, closing her eyes.

She had faith that they would be okay, but that did not stop her from worrying.

 


	14. Light of Hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! I am so sorry for the long hiatus, but I will try to update more regularly now. I hope you like this chapter!

* * *

 

Kanan felt Ezra’s presence slip away. With a quick glance behind him, he saw Ezra had passed out. Frankly, Kanan was surprised that he had woken up the first time. But he was grateful – if it was not for his padawan, he would be dead.

He turned back to Kallus, who in a desperate attempt began firing. But with the last two Vornskrs dead, the force was flowing through him. The electric feeling he had felt earlier was not from Kallus’s staff, but from the force.

And now, with it on his side, Kanan knew he could win this battle. Despite his aching lungs and back, and the exhaustion he felt, he fought on. He deflected the shots with ease. Using the force he jumped high into the smoke filled sky. Disappearing into the falling ash, he was able to feel where Kallus was. He twisted, letting gravity accelerate him downwards. The smoke cleared and the force softened his fall.

He was perched right behind Kallus. His head was looking at him, his body posed to turn around to face him. But he never got the chance. Kanan used the force to push him away. Kallus shouted in surprise as he flew, his back smacking against the ground and skidding. Kanan knew he would not be waking up soon.

He winced as he stood, holding his left shoulder that was still screaming in pain. He made his way to Ezra’s body. Careful not to upset his or Ezra’s injuries, he picked up the light weight boy and gently tossed him over his good shoulder. Ezra did not make a sound.

An explosion almost threw Kanan off his balance. Looking around, the fire was engulfing the tree line. The flames were miles high, fading out as a dense cloud of black smoke took over the sky. But to the fire, it was still not enough. Sparks were falling from the sky, catching anything and everything on fire. The explosion had come from the control tower, which was now burning like a candle.

There was no way out.

No matter how hard Kanan looked, there was no opening to run to. The ship had vanished from his view, as had Phoenix home. Everywhere he turned there was fire or darkness. His forehead was dripping with sweat as his lungs screaming for air.

Another explosion rocked the ground, and Kanan fell to his knees. He caught himself before he dropped Ezra, but he knew he would not be able to get up. It was over. His luck had run out. Kanan could not help but release a small chuckle.

He had survived the massacre at the temple, the persecution of his people. He had survived on the streets for years. He had survived being captured and tortured by the Empire.

He thought he would die by a blaster shot or sliced in half with a lightsaber, not suffocation.

His mind grew hazy, and he barely realized that he was now lying on his side. Ezra was not in his arms. Kanan felt a pang of regret. He was responsible for Ezra’s death. If he had left the kid on Lothal, would he have lived? Was it his fault for training him to become a Jedi, something that Kanan had no experience in, and opening the door for the Empire to want him?

That was why the trap was set in the first place. They wanted Ezra to turn to the dark side. They knew that he was strong in the force, maybe stronger than Kanan.

Voices filled Kanan’s ears. But by now, he could not tell if they were real, or from a distant memory. His vision came in and out, not understanding where he was or who was grabbing him. But to him, it did not matter. He was lost in his mind without the light of hope to guide him.

Kanan closed his eyes.

* * *

Sabine was confused. Unlike before, she felt no pain. She resisted against the heaviness of her eyelid, forcing them open. Her eyes adjusted to the bright light, and when they did, she was surprised to find herself lying on a med bay bed.

“Sabine?” She turned to see Zeb standing next to her bed. She tried to sit up, wanting to get out of the bed and get her armor back on. She felt exposed without their weight on her skin.

A stab of pain spiked through her stomach, and before she could react, Zeb was guiding her back down.

“Easy, there. No one can recover that quickly. The medics say you were lucky.” Sabine let herself go lax, wanting the pain to fade.

“The others?” she asked, her voice dry and strained. Zeb’s look did not make her feel any better. “How are they?”

“Let’s just say, you were lucky to recover from the shot. But their luck seems to ‘ave run out.”

“Zeb?” Sabine questioned, shifting her body. “What does that mean?” Zeb sighed, scratching behind his head. He slumped down on the bed next to hers and took a deep breath.

“It doesn’t look good. Hera’s alright, just a sprained ankle. Kanan… Kanan ‘as got a burned back, scraped knees, and got shot in the shoulder. It isn’t too bad, but his lungs were filled with smoke. He’s been in and out of it, but he should make it.” Zeb kept his gaze on the floor. When he did not continue, Sabine spoke up.

“And…Ezra?”

“The medics are still operating.” He let out a deep breath. “It doesn’t look good.” Sabine let out a shaky breath. She closed her eyes, overcome with a sense of dread.

“How long have I been out for?” she asked.

“’bout six hours.” Sabine nodded. If she was out for six hours, than the medics must have been operating on Ezra for around the same amount of time.

Sabine looked back at Zeb, who was still slumped in defeat. She realized then how hard it must have been for him. He was relatively alright, but he had to wait for the medics to tell him what was going on. Sabine knew that if she was in his position, she would have died with the uncertainty of it all.

“Zeb,” Sabine said, reaching her hand out. He looked up and took it. “Thank you.”

Sabine pretended not to notice the tears that streaked down his face.

* * *

The first thing Kanan noticed was that someone was holding his hand. It was soft and did not quite fit in his, but it radiated safety. He opened his eyes, inhaling a deep gulp of air. He looked down to his hand, and followed the one that was holding it. Resting her head on the bed was Hera, breathing deeply. Kanan watched her for a few moments, not wanting to disturb the peace on her face. But After a few moments, he squeezed her hand. He ran his thumb on the back of her hand, and sure enough, Hera blinked her green eyes open.

“Kanan!” She shot up, but kept his hand in hers.

“Hey, Hera.” Kanan heard a sniffle.

“How are you feeling?” He took a deep breath.

“I’m okay. I promise,” he said. Hera nodded, accepting the answer. Realizing that they were alone in the med bay, he spoke up. “Where are the others?”

He did not need the force to tell that Hera had bad news. The look on her face said it all.

“Well... Sabine is alright, and expected to make a full recovery. Her body was strong and able to heal relatively quickly, thanks to the bacta tank.”

“And Zeb?”

“Just a bit of smoke in the lungs, nothing too serious.” Kanan nodded.

“How’s your ankle?”

“It’s alright. It was only sprained.” Kanan was confused. Hera obviously still had bad news, but the only crew member left was-

“And… Ezra?” Hera took a deep breath.

“I… I don’t know, Kanan.”

“What do you mean?” Kanan questioned, his voice becoming tense.

“The medics have been operating for hours. He… Kanan, he might not make it.” Hera’s eyes locked on to his, the waters reflecting the bright light of the room. “It’s still too soon to tell.”

Kanan leaned his shoulders deeper into the bed, Hera’s words echoing in his mind. He could still sense Ezra, and that gave him a slice of hope. But he also sensed the distance of his presence, and how weak it was.

He needed to see him. He needed to see that he was alright.

Kanan sat up, wincing at the sharp pain in his back.

“Easy, Kanan. You shouldn’t be getting up. Let me help you.” Kanan looked at Hera, surprised by her reaction. He felt a flare of admiration for her.

Together, they walked out of the med bay and into the operating med bay. Hera sat Kanan down on the bed next to Sabine.

“Any news?” Hera asked. Before Zeb had a chance to shake his head, the doors opened, and in walked a man wearing clean white clothes.

“Ghost crew?” They all nodded. He walked over to them and stood with his clipboard behind his back. “I’m not going to sugar-coat it. Specter six is lucky to still be alive.”

“What was the extent of his injuries?” Sabine asked.

“I have no idea how he got the majority of his injuries – you will have to ask him when… _if_ he wakes up.” He paused as the crew’s faces fell. Clearing his throat, he continued. “His wrist was broken and shows signs of overuse. He was… whipped in the back twice and each time there was poison injected into his blood stream.”

“The Vornskr,” Kanan said. The doctor nodded.

“Yes, that would also explain the bite mark. Specter six was bitten in the upper thigh and a large amount of flesh and nerves were torn. He lost a lot of blood. But we managed to repair most of it. And if he wakes up, we will repair the rest.”

“What does that mean?” Zeb asked.

“It means that we’ve done all we can for him. Now, we just have to wait and see if he wants to wake up.” The doctor turned and walked out, leaving the crew in a stunned silence.

* * *

 


	15. Without A Fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone, I have returned! Thanks for all the comments and kudos, despite me being absent. I'm still caught up with the rebels fandom but I just couldn't bring myself to write. Hopefully this chapter will make up for that! I'm going to start updating the others too when I get around to it. I won't have regular updates anymore but I'll try my best not to slip away again. Enjoy!

Patience was a funny thing.

At the temple, the Jedi masters told Kanan that he always had too little. His own master would remind him to have patience almost every mission because he would always want to rush into battle. By rushing in, he could save as many people as he could. He just did not understand why he had to wait for the timing to be right when there were people dying.

He did not understand it then, and he sure as hell did not understand it now.

Sure, having patience would make it easier for him. Then he could eat something substantial and get a full night’s sleep, but having patience felt like he was abandoning Ezra.

It had been two weeks since the doctors predicted Ezra would wake up. Two weeks in total of not hearing his voice, not seeing him move a centimeter on his bed, despite the rise and fall of his chest.

Two weeks of waiting in the med bay. Two weeks since he had seen the Ghost. Two weeks since he had talked to Sabine ad Zeb. They came in every day to check; he could feel their presence enter; but upon seeing him still hunched in the same position, they left again.

At one point the doctor had come in with more bad news. A week after their prediction, he said that Ezra might not ever wake up. Kanan, after hearing those words, blocked them from his mind.

He sighed, rubbing his hands on sunken in eyes. Exhaustion was written all over his face and hunger was pounding his stomach. His hands slid back onto his lap while tired green eyes stared at Ezra. The small scratches on his face had healed, and the larger scratches were but a faint mark. His left wrist was still in a cast but was healing fine. The whip marks on his back from the Vornskrs were still there, but thank the force, they were not infected and healing slowly. He would still have scars.

His leg, however, was a different story. It was wrapped in bandages after the surgery, but the doctors were unsure if it was still functional. They said that there were a lot of nerves damaged.

Since Ezra was on his own throughout the time they spent on the hellish jungle planet, no one knew exactly what happened to him. Zeb and Sabine informed them that he had fallen into the river at some point, as a strip of orange cloth was tied to a rock. But other than that, they were clueless.

The doctor told them about the bite marks and how the Vornskr must have dragged Ezra a far distance to make such deep cuts and damage numerous nerves.

Kanan could not begin to imagine the pain that Ezra had felt.

If only he could have sensed Ezra. If only he had tried harder to search for him. If only he had not let them get separated. If only he had not picked a fight right before they got separated. If only he had told him about the dangers of the planet. If only, if only, if--!

“Love?”

Kanan’s head shot up, surprised that Hera had managed to sneak up on him.

“You’re doing it again,” she said, taking the seat next to him.

“Doing what?” he asked, slightly hopeful that Hera would just let it be.

“Thinking about if you could have prevented the outcome.” As always, she was right. Kanan sighed.

“I just… I just can’t imagine the pain he went through. And knowing that it could have been something I prevented, I –”

“Kanan,” Hera interrupted, placing a gloved hand on his shoulder. “You can’t spend your time thinking about what you could have done to prevent this. What happened has happened. All we can do now is wait for Ezra to wake up.”

Kanan moved his gaze to the white tiled floor. “The doctors say he won’t. That there was too much damage.”

He heard Hera sigh next to him and immediately felt guilty. Hera was worried about him too; he knew that. Reminding her of the news brought her just as much pain as it had for him.

“Ezra’s strong. He won’t give up without a fight.”

Kanan merely nodded. They remained in silence, using each other to comfort themselves from the loneliness they had both been feeling.

“Hera,” Kanan said, a bit above a whisper. “I-”

He felt it before he heard it; a wave of pure terror punched through him, leaving him chilled and shocked. He recognized the source – Ezra’s force presence was undisguisable.

But his scream was not.

On the bed was Ezra, arched back and blue eyes, ones that had been locked away for what felt like ages, open. He quickly squeezed them shut, his body jerking and twisting, attempting to free himself from the wires.

Kanan was by his side in an instant, neither remembering nor caring how. He reached out with the force, sending calming waves to his student, while resting a hand on Ezra’s tight shoulder. As soon as it came into contact, Ezra’s body went slack. It looked as if he had fallen back into his state of unconsciousness, but his blue eyes were wide open. They stared at Kanan, as if they were seeing him for the first time. Kanan found himself shocked as he felt the kid’s force signature brush up against his, as if judging whether he was trustworthy or not.

_Does he not remember?_

The door flew open and numerous doctors came rushing in. They pushed Kanan away from the bed, away from Ezra, away from finding an answer.

Hera was beside him, grabbing his arm and smiling. She was talking, the doctors were talking, but Kanan could not hear them.

_Does he not remember?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R & R  
> ~ Kavella ~

**Author's Note:**

> R & R  
>  ~ Kavella ~


End file.
